Starmer arson accused says: ‘I didn’t know him, I only knew Boris Johnson’

A Ukrainian who set fire to property linked to the Prime Minister has told the court he did not know Sir Keir Starmer and “just knew Boris Johnson”.

Roman Lavrynovych, 22, is accused, along with Stanislav Carpiuc and Petro Pochynok, of arson attacks on a vehicle and two houses in north London linked to Sir Keir Starmer.

In the early hours of May 8 last year, a Toyota Rav4 car that belonged to Sir Keir was set on fire in Kentish Town.

The fire was only considered suspicious after two other attacks on properties linked to the prime minister days later.

While giving evidence at the Old Bailey on Monday, Lavrynovych was asked if he knew the name Sir Keir Starmer.

He said through a translator: “No, I didn’t know, I didn’t know him and I wasn’t interested – I just knew Boris Johnson.”

A mastermind known as El Money commissioned Lavrynovych to carry out the attacks and promised him a cryptocurrency payment in exchange, the court heard.

However, the defendant told jurors he was not paid before his arrest despite repeated requests.

They spoke on Telegram and Lavrynovych said El Money’s main goal was for arsons to make headlines.

The first target was the car on Countess Road and the second a neighboring property on Ellington Street in the early hours of May 11.

The latter was managed by a company of which the Prime Minister had once been a director and shareholder, the trial heard previously.

A property owned by the Prime Minister and occupied by his sister-in-law was then set on fire the following night on Countess Road, it was reported.

When Lavrynovych demanded payment after the third fire, El Money said: “So far everything is calm – not a single article or announcement about the incident on this street. »

The defendant suggested returning to the address to inspect, the court was told, and El Money responded: “Get out of there urgently. Don’t get involved. Delete all the data, it’s very serious.”

Shortly before 5pm on May 12, Lavrynovych sent him a link to an ITV news report about the incident, the court heard.

Lavrynovych told jurors he did not know the people featured in the reports at the time.

He sent a message to El Money: “There is news. Already. Now I’m waiting for your response. I’ll wait for a screenshot.”

The screenshot would constitute proof of cryptocurrency paid into Carpiuc’s account, the court heard.

After another request for funds, El Money said: “Look, you attacked the house of a very high-ranking individual in Britain. I’m going to send you some money.”

“You need to leave town. If the police arrest you, send a secret message ‘geranium’ and I will send you a lawyer.

“I’ll give you money for a week’s expenses and for a new phone. We won’t be in contact for a week.”

The accused stated that he never attempted to send a secret message using the word geranium.

He was arrested in the early hours of May 13, the court heard.

The defendants are accused of conspiring to damage property by fire between April 1 and May 13 last year.

Lavrynovych is also accused of damaging two properties by fire with intent to endanger life or disregarding whether life was in danger on May 11 and 12 last year.

Lavrynovych, from Lewisham, south-east London, Carpiuc, from Romford, east London, and Pochynok, from Islington, north London, have pleaded not guilty to the charges against them.

The trial before Judge Garnham continues.

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