Two “useful idiots” recruited by a Russian-speaking mastermind to target Keir Starmer in a series of arson attacks have been jailed for a total of nine years.
Ukrainian builder Roman Lavrynovych, 22, and his friend Stanislav Carpiuc, 27, were found guilty of plotting to damage property after two homes and a car linked to the prime minister were set alight.
The pair were acting on instructions from a shadowy Russian-speaking Telegram account, called El Money, which had offered Lavrynovych £3,000 in cryptocurrency if the blazes were filmed and got on the news. Carpiuc encouraged his friend and was going to help him convert the promised payment into cash.
The attacks began when a Toyota Rav4, which was previously owned by the prime minister was set alight in Kentish Town, north London, in the early hours of 8 May last year.
Within days, fires were also lit in the entrance to a block of flats where Sir Keir used to live and at his house, which he had rented to his sister-in-law after moving into No 10. She and her family were asleep in their beds when Lavrynovych set fire to the doorway, potentially cutting off an escape route.
Judge Mr Justice Garnham sentenced Lavrynovych to seven years’ imprisonment at the Old Bailey on Friday. Carpiuc was sentenced to two years.
The judge told Lavrynovych he had been a “pawn” and used for some “unknown cause” which put lives at risk.
“You agreed to carry out this mindless piece of arson for money. You were not a man of great principle and you were easily bought,” he said. He rejected the defendant’s claim he did not know the two houses were occupied and said he was “utterly reckless” about the risks he was creating.
“You were to El (Money) a useful idiot and fool who could be manipulated to his advantage,” the judge added.
In mitigation for Lavrynovych, James Scobie KC said he was “used”, adding: “He gained absolutely nothing from this. He was used on any view – utterly naive, utterly gullible, unthinking and a complete and utter foot soldier.
“How worrying that is for us all that there are individuals like this who are fodder for this type of infiltration who has not got a clue who the ‘big man’ was – turns who to be the prime minister. He is what he is – a boy, and a very immature boy at that.”
In his defence, the construction worker from Sydenham, south London, had claimed he had been threatened by El Money.
Shahid Rashid, for hotel worker Carpiuc, said his client was “always the money man”.
He told the court: “His function was to realise the cryptocurrency. It is also important he was not going to get anything out of it. His motivation was helping a friend out who needed money desperately for his father’s medical treatment.”
The pair were found guilty of plotting to damage property by a jury at the Old Bailey on Monday. A third defendant, Petro Pochynok, 35, was cleared of the same charge.
Lavrynovych was also convicted of damaging two properties by fire, being reckless as to whether life was endangered on 11 and 12 May last year.
The trial heard how Lavrynovych had tried to rope in Mr Pochynok to film the car blaze after first approaching his friend Carpiuc.
Three nights later, a blaze was reported at a property in nearby Islington which was managed by a company previously linked to the prime minister. Jurors were shown a video shot by Lavrynovych of a lit match being thrown onto accelerant on the doorstep of the address.
A resident of the top-floor flat was woken by the smell of smoke about half an hour later and escaped to the roof to call the fire brigade.
Prosecutor Duncan Atkinson KC said the fire spread to the hallway inside the building, posing an “obvious” risk to the occupants.
In the early hours of the following morning, the prime minister’s former home in Kentish Town was also targeted.
His sister-in-law Judith Alexander, who lived there with her partner and daughter, said she heard two loud bangs before she saw an orange glow by the front door.
She described her fear at the thought of “what might have happened” had she not woken up.
In the aftermath of the attacks, El Money encouraged Lavrynovych to flee, saying: “Look, you attacked the home of a very high-ranking person in Britain. I’ll send you money, you need to leave the city.
“If the police detain you, secretly write the word, ‘geranium’ and I’ll send a lawyer to you, I’ll give you money for a week and a new phone. We won’t be in touch for a week.”
Counter Terrorism Policing London have said it has found no evidence leading to any specific person, group or organisation to be associated with the El Money social media account.
Commander Helen Flanagan added: “Crimes, such as arson, being directed by anonymous online accounts promising payment is a recurring trend in our casework.
“Our message to anyone who might be approached in this way, or thinking about doing similar, is to think again. As we’ve seen here, you will not get paid as you are promised, you will be identified and brought to justice, and the only thing you will be left with is facing the prospect of a lengthy jail sentence.”
