London, 16 May 2025 (PA Media/dpa/MIA) – A 21-year-old Ukrainian man has been charged with three counts of arson with intent to endanger life over fires at two properties and a car linked to British Prime Minister Keir Starmer.

The Metropolitan Police said Roman Lavrynovych is due to appear at Westminster Magistrates’ Court on Friday.

He was arrested at an address in Sydenham, south-east London, in the early hours of Tuesday and charged on Thursday.

The force said officers from the Met’s Counter Terror Command led the investigation due to the connections to a high-profile public figure.

Bethan David, head of the Crown Prosecution Service counter terrorism division, said: “These charges relate to two fires at residential addresses in Islington on Sunday May 11 and in Kentish Town on Monday May 12, as well as a car fire in Kentish Town on Thursday May 8.

“The Crown Prosecution Service reminds all concerned that criminal proceedings against this defendant are now active and that he has the right to a fair trial.”

In the early hours of Monday, the emergency services responded to a fire at the Kentish Town home where Starmer lived before becoming prime minister and moving into 10 Downing Street.

Police were alerted by the London Fire Brigade (LFB) to reports of a fire at the residential address at 1:35 am (0035 GMT).

Damage was caused to the property’s entrance but nobody was hurt.

A car linked to Starmer was set alight in the early hours of Thursday May 8 in the same street.

In the early hours of Sunday, firefighters dealt with a small fire at the front door of a house converted into flats in nearby Islington, which is also linked to the Prime Minister.

One person was assisted to safety via an internal staircase by crews wearing breathing apparatus, LFB said.

Photo: MIA archive