A Ukrainian national has become the third man to be charged over the arson attack on UK Prime Minister Keir Starmer.

The Metropolitan Police said Petro Pochynok, 34, had been charged with conspiracy to commit arson with intent to endanger life and would appear at Westminster Magistrates’ Court on Wednesday morning.

Mr Pochynok is accused of conspiring with fellow Ukrainian Roman Lavrynovych and Ukrainian-born Romanian national Stanislav Carpiuc, who have both also been charged over the incident.

He was arrested on Monday in the Chelsea area of west London.

Two of the fires reportedly happened in Kentish Town, north London; one was in the early hours of May 12 and took place at the home where Mr Starmer lived before he became prime minister and moved into Downing Street.

A car was set alight in the same street four days earlier on May 8.

The other fire took place on May 11 at the front door of a house converted into flats in Islington.

Mr Lavrynovych, 21, of Sydenham, south-east London, has already been charged with three counts of arson with intent to endanger life in connection with the fires.

He denied the charges in a police interview.

He appeared in court on Friday and was remanded in custody until a further hearing at the Old Bailey scheduled for June 6.

Mr Carpiuc appeared at Westminster Magistrates’ Court on Tuesday and was remanded in custody to appear alongside Mr Lavrynovych on the same date. 

(dpa/NAN)