Three men plotted arson on homes linked to Starmer, court told

• Three men, Roman Lavrynovych, Petro Pochynok, and Stanislav Carpiuc, are on trial at the Old Bailey for allegedly setting fire to a car and two houses linked to Prime Minister Sir Keir Starmer.
• Prosecutors claim the defendants were offered payment by a Russian-speaking contact named "El Money" to carry out the arsons in north London last spring.
• The targeted properties included a car that once belonged to Sir Keir, a house managed by a company he was involved with, and his sister-in-law's home which he still owned.
• Lavrynovych faces additional charges of damaging two properties by fire with intent to endanger life, specifically a flat in Islington and Sir Keir's former Kentish Town home.
• All three defendants have pleaded not guilty to conspiracy to damage property by fire, and the trial is expected to continue until the end of May.