Man charged with arson after fire at British PM's home
Published on May 16, 2025
By IANS
- LONDON — A 21-year-old man has been charged with arson with intent to cause
a fire at British Prime Minister Keir Starmer's home, the Metropolitan Police
said.
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- According to the police statement released on Thursday,
Roman Lavrynovych, a Ukrainian national, faces three counts of arson with
intent to endanger life.
-
- The charges, authorised by the Crown Prosecution Service,
relate to three incidents: a vehicle fire in NW5 on May 8, a fire at the
entrance of a property in N7 on May 11, and a fire at a residential address in
NW5 in the early hours of May 12, Xinhua news agency reported.
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- The suspect was arrested early Tuesday in connection with
a series of suspected arson attacks, including the fire at a property owned by
Starmer.
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- The investigation has been led by the Met's Counter
Terrorism Command due to its links to a high-profile figure.
-
- In the early hours of May 12, emergency services
responded to a fire at the Kentish Town home where Starmer lived before
becoming Prime Minister and moving into 10 Downing Street.
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- Police were alerted by the London Fire Brigade (LFB) to
reports of a fire at the residential address at 1:35 British Standard Time.
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- Damage was caused to the property's entrance but nobody
was hurt.
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- A car that PM Starmer had sold to a neighbour last year
was set alight four days earlier on May 8 on the same street.
-
- One person was helped to safety by firefighters wearing
breathing apparatus, LFB said.
-
- Bethan David, head of the Crown Prosecution Service
counterterrorism division, said: "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."
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- "It is extremely important that there should be no
reporting, commentary or sharing of information online which could in any way
prejudice these proceedings."
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- It is understood that the Prime Minister lived there in
the 1990s.
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- While Starmer and his family lives in 10 Downing Street,
he still retains his north London residence.
-
- The string of fires has renewed scrutiny of the security
of politicians in the UK and sparked concern and well wishes beyond
normally-bitter political rivalries.
