Three men linked to fires in north London are on trial

What's happened

Prosecutors have told London’s Old Bailey that three men—Roman Lavrynovych, Petro Pochynok and Stanislav Carpiuc—set a series of fires between May 8 and 12, 2025, targeting properties connected to the prime minister. The defendants deny the charges and the court has heard about payments and a Telegram contact known as El Money.

What's behind the headline?

Key takeaways

The prosecution argues the fires were deliberate and connected to properties tied to the PM, suggesting intent to endanger lives.
Defence denies involvement; the trio faces counts of arson with intent to endanger life and conspiracy to commit arson.
Messages on Telegram are cited as recruitment and coordination evidence, though the identity of El Money is not to be determined by the jury.

Context

The events are part of a broader push to link criminal activity to political figures, a narrative that can shape public perception during high-profile trials.

Forecast

The trial will hinge on forensic links and messaging evidence; outcomes could influence security considerations around political figures’ properties.

How we got here

The case centers on three fires in north London that prosecutors say were planned to endanger lives and were linked to properties connected to Sir Keir Starmer. The fires occurred over a five-day window in May 2025, with investigations tracing messages between a suspect and a contact calling themselves El Money.

Our analysis

The Guardian (Geneva Abdul), The Independent, AP News, Reuters — reporting highlights the timeline of fires, involved individuals, and the judge’s framing of the motive as not material to the charges.

Go deeper

What has the jury heard about the motivation behind the fires?
Will the court reveal more about the Telegram communications and the El Money identity?
When is the verdict expected in this trial?