A university graduate has appeared in court as the second man accused of arson attacks on properties and a car linked to Prime Minister Sir Keir Starmer.
Stanislav Carpiuc, 26, is accused of a conspiracy with Roman Lavrynovych to set fire to two homes and a car in north London in the space of five days.
Carpiuc, a Romanian national who was born in Ukraine, was arrested at the weekend and appeared at Westminster magistrates court on Tuesday morning.
He followed the proceedings with the assistance of a Russian interpreter and was flanked by two police officers in the dock.
Chief Magistrate Paul Goldspring remanded him in custody until a preliminary hearing alongside Lavrynovych at the Old Bailey on June 6.
The court heard Carpiuc, from Romford, completed a business degree at Christchurch university in Canterbury in January, he has lived in the UK for the last nine years, and he is currently working in construction while awaiting his degree results.
He is accused of conspiring with Lavrynovych, a Ukrainian national, to “damage by fire property belonging to another, intending to damage the property, intending to endanger the life of another or being reckless as to whether the life of another would thereby be endangered”.
Carpiuc was arrested at Luton Airport on Saturday.
In the early hours of Monday, May 12, the emergency services responded to a fire at the Kentish Town home where Sir Keir Starmer lived before becoming Prime Minister and moving into 10 Downing Street.
Police were alerted by the London Fire Brigade (LFB) to reports of a fire at the residential address at 1.35am.
Damage was caused to the property's entrance but nobody was hurt.
A 4x4 reported to have previously belonged to Sir Keir and sold to a neighbour was set alight in the early hours of Thursday May 8 in the same street.
In the early hours of Sunday, May 11, firefighters dealt with a small fire at the front door of a house converted into flats in nearby Islington, which is also linked to the Prime Minister.
One person was assisted to safety via an internal staircase by crews wearing breathing apparatus, LFB said.
Prosecutor Sarah Przybykska told the court that the motive behind the fires is currently “unexplained”.
Lavrynovych, of Sydenham, appeared in court last week and was remanded in custody. He faces three charges of arson with intent to endanger life.
The third fire was on May 11 at the front door of a house converted into flats in Islington.
Carpiuc has been charged with conspiracy to commit arson, with intent to damage property and endanger life.
On Monday a third suspect, a 34-year-old man, was held by counter-terrorism officers in Chelsea on suspicion of conspiracy to commit arson with intent to endanger life. He remains in custody.
In the House of Commons last week, Sir Keir called the incidents “an attack on all of us, on democracy and the values that we stand for”.
Conservative leader Kemi Badenoch condemned them as “completely unacceptable”.
Liberal Democrat leader Sir Ed Davey told Sir Keir: “Can I offer our support to the Prime Minister and his family after the appalling arson attacks on his home.
“And can I echo his thanks to our brilliant police and firefighters.”
Commander Dominic Murphy, head of the Met’s counter-terrorism command, acknowledged the probe may cause concern to MPs.
He said: “I would encourage any MP who is concerned about their own safety to get in touch with their dedicated local Operation Bridger officer, who can provide further advice and support.”
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