A court has heard harrowing testimony from Judith Alexander, the sister-in-law of UK Prime Minister Keir Starmer, who described waking up to loud bangs and smoke as her home was targeted in an arson attack in north London.
Giving evidence at the Old Bailey, Alexander said she feared for her life and the safety of her daughter after the Kentish Town property was set alight in the early hours of 12 May last year – one of several fires allegedly linked to properties associated with the Prime Minister.
Recounting the horror she experienced, Alexander described the noise as sounding 'like two wheelie bins had been thrown at the door' before she saw 'smoke and an orange glow' at the entrance of the Kentish Town house.
She had been awake in bed scrolling on her phone while her partner and daughter slept when the incident began.
'If I Did Not Wake Up, What Might Have Happened'
After seeing the fire, Alexander said she immediately called the fire brigade and attempted to reach her sister Victoria, Starmer's wife, as smoke thickened and spread through the house.
Fear gripped her as she shared that her daughter's bedroom was right above the fire and that she was woken by the smoke. She described her daughter as 'really frightened' and 'extremely worried'.
Alexander, who has asthma, said she struggled to breathe as the smoke thickened inside the property. She handed out COVID masks to her family as they tried to manage the situation before firefighters arrived.
Reflecting on the incident, she told the court:
'The fact that (my daughter's) room was right above the fire and if I did not wake up, what might have happened. I was awake all night'.
Series of Arson Attacks Linked to Starmer-Connected Properties
The Kentish Town fire is one of three alleged arson attacks in May last year that prosecutors say targeted properties connected to Keir Starmer.
The incidents include:
- A fire at a house in Islington, north London, previously linked to Starmer
- A blaze involving a Toyota RAV4 he once owned
- The Kentish Town house where Alexander and her family were living
Prosecutors allege the attacks formed part of a coordinated plan targeting multiple locations associated with the Prime Minister.
Three men – Roman Lavrynovych, 22, Petro Pochynok, 35, and Stanislav Carpiuc, 27 – are currently on trial. All deny the charges.
Lavrynovych faces three counts of arson with intent to endanger life or being reckless as to life, while Pochynok and Carpiuc are accused of conspiracy to commit arson.
Alleged Telegram Recruitment and Cryptocurrency Payments
The trial also heard claims that the defendants were recruited through a Russian-speaking Telegram contact known as 'El Money', who allegedly offered cryptocurrency payments for carrying out the attacks.
Initial investigations revealed that when he was arrested in south London on 13 May 2025, Lavrynovych denied the allegations that he was involved in the fires. He stated during a police interview that during the first and second arson, he was at home, while in the third incident he claimed that he was in Camden visiting a friend, The Guardian reported.
Prosecutors say messages recovered by police suggest Lavrynovych was instructed to monitor CCTV and target specific addresses. He is said to have been promised £1,500 ($1,759.95) but was never paid.
Searches after his arrest allegedly uncovered a petrol can and a white spirit bottle containing his DNA.
Meanwhile, Pochynok was reportedly recruited by Carpiuc to help Lavrynovych with the first fire. It was also reported that Carpiuc was involved in planning and receiving payment.
Defendants Deny Arson and Conspiracy Charges as Trial Continues
Lavrynovych, Pochynok, and Carpiuc have all denied any involvement in the arson attacks.
The trial at the Old Bailey is expected to last three weeks, with jurors continuing to hear evidence about the alleged coordination, recruitment, and execution of the fires.
The defendants' case is expected to focus on denial of involvement and challenges to the prosecution's claims of coordination and intent.
As proceedings continue, the court is examining what prosecutors describe as a planned series of targeted attacks on properties linked to one of Britain's most senior political figures.
