A second man is charged over fires at properties linked to UK Prime Minister Starmer

Audio By Carbonatix

LONDON (AP) — A second man was charged Tuesday over a series of fires that targeted properties linked to U.K. Prime Minister Keir Starmer, police said.

Romanian national Stanislav Carpiuc, 26, from Romford, east London, is accused of arson with intent to endanger life, the Metropolitan Police said. He had been arrested at Luton Airport, north of London, on Saturday.

He appeared at Westminster Magistrates’ Court on Tuesday accused of conspiring to commit arson with intent to endanger life between April 17 and May 13.

The defendant, flanked by two police officers in the dock, spoke through a Russian interpreter to confirm his name and date of birth. Carpiuc, who was born in Ukraine, exercised his right to remain silent during police questioning following his arrest. But his lawyer said that he denies being present at the scene of any of the fires at Starmer’s family home, a property where he once lived and a small SUV he had sold.

He was ordered to be held in custody until a further hearing at the Old Bailey on June 6, alongside Roman Lavrynovych, a Ukrainian national, who was arrested last week. Lavrynovych, 21, similarly didn’t enter a plea on Friday at Westminster Magistrates’ Court, but denied the charges in a police interview.

A 34-year-old man was also arrested on Monday in Chelsea, west London, on suspicion of conspiracy to commit arson with intent to endanger life, police said. The suspect, whose name and nationality haven't been disclosed, remains in custody.

No injuries were reported from the fires, which occurred on three nights in north London between May 8 and May 12.

Starmer and his family had moved into the prime minister’s official Downing Street residence after he was elected in July.