Man remanded over fires at homes and car linked to Starmer

Vocabulary: 198, Words: 358

1A Ukrainian man has been remanded in custody after appearing in court charged in connection with fires at two properties and a car linked to Prime Minister Sir Keir Starmer.

2Roman Lavrynovych, 21, who the BBC understands is a builder and roofer, is accused of three counts of arson with intent to endanger life following the fires at locations in north London. 3He did not enter any pleas to the charges.

4The defendant, assisted by an interpreter, spoke only to confirm his name, date of birth and address at a short hearing at Westminster Magistrates' Court on Friday.

5He will appear next at the Old Bailey for a plea and trial preparation hearing on 6 June.

6"At this stage, the alleged offending is unexplained," prosecutor Sarah Przybylska said on Friday.

7Ms Przybylska also told the court that Lavrynovych was interviewed under caution after his arrest and denied arson.

8The court also heard that accelerant, preliminarily deemed to be of a "slow burning nature", was used in at least one of the fires.

9Mr Lavrynovych was arrested at an address in Sydenham in the early hours of Tuesday and charged on Thursday.

10The Metropolitan Police's Counter Terror Command led the investigation because of the connections to a high-profile public figure.

11In the early hours of Monday, the emergency services responded to a fire at the Kentish Town home where Sir Keir lived before becoming prime minister and moving into 10 Downing Street.

12Police were alerted by the London Fire Brigade to reports of a fire at the residential address at 01:35 BST.

13Damage was caused to the property's entrance but nobody was hurt.

14The BBC understands the property is rented to the prime minister's sister-in-law.

15Four days earlier, on 8 May, a car that Sir Keir sold to a neighbour last year was set alight on the same street.

16In 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.

17One person was assisted to safety via an internal staircase by crews wearing breathing apparatus, the fire brigade said.

from BBC