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

A Ukrainian man who set fire to property linked to the UK prime minister has told a court he did not know of 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 Keir Starmer.

In the early hours of May 8th last year, a Toyota Rav4 car, which once belonged to Starmer, was burnt out in Kentish Town.

The blaze was only treated as suspicious after two more attacks on property connected to the UK prime minister days later.

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

He said through a translator: “No I didn’t know, I was not aware of (him) and I was not interested – I just knew Boris Johnson.”

A taskmaster known as El Money instructed Lavrynovych to carry out the attacks and promised him cryptocurrency payment in return, the court has heard.

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

They spoke on Telegram and Lavrynovych said El Money’s key aim was for the arsons to make the news.

The first target was the car on Countess Road and the second a nearby 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 belonging to the Prime Minister and occupied by his sister-in-law was then set alight the following night on Countess Road, it has heard.

When Lavrynovych asked for payment after the third fire, El Money said: “It’s all dead quiet so far – 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: “Urgently get out of there. Don’t get involved. Delete all the data, it is very serious.”

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

Lavrynovych told jurors that he did not then know the people featured in the news coverage.

He messaged El Money: “There is news. Already. Now I am waiting for your response. I will be waiting for a screenshot.”

The screenshot would be evidence of cryptocurrency paid to Carpiuc’s account, the court heard.

After another request for the funds, El Money said: “Look, you attacked a home of a very high ranking individual in Britain. I will send you money.

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

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

The defendant said he never attempted to send a secret message using the word geranium.

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

The defendants are charged with conspiracy to damage property by fire between April 1 and May 13 last year.

Lavrynovych is also charged with damaging two properties by fire with intent to endanger life or being reckless as to whether life was endangered on May 11th and 12th last year.

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

The trial before Justice Garnham continues.