Two men deny plotting arson attacks on Keir Starmer's properties

Ukrainains Roman Lavrynovych, 21, and Petro Pochynok, 34, gave their pleas via video link from HMP Belmarsh on charges relating to arson attacks on houses and a car linked to the PM

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Two of the three men charged with plotting arson attacks on two homes and a car linked to Keir Starmer today pleaded not guilty to conspiracy to commit arson with intent to endanger life.

Ukrainains Roman Lavrynovych, 21, and Petro Pochynok, 34, formally gave their pleas via video link from HMP Belmarsh in south-east London.

The court heard the Crown are not alleging the case has a terrorist connection or is one with national security implications.

Their co-defendant, Ukrainian-born Romanian national Stanislav Carpiuc, 26, also appeared at the hearing, but did not give a plea after the court heard he dismissed his lawyers earlier this week.

The three defendants, who were all sitting in different rooms inside the same prison, communicated with the court via interpreters, including a Russian speaker on behalf of Carpiuc.

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Lavrynovych, an aspiring model, of Sydenham, South East London, appeared wearing a grey prison-issue tracksuit.

Pochynok, of Islington, North London, and roofer Carpiuc, of Chadwell Heath, East London, wear also wearing grey tracksuits.

The court heard Carpiuc, who had already held more than 20 separate conferences with his previous legal team, had filed an "inadequate" witness statement to the court, while his co-defendants have so far not filed any.

Sitting at the Old Bailey, Her Honour Mrs Justice Cheema-Grubb ordered all three to appear at the same court on November 28, for a further case management hearing, with a trial expected next year.

She told the trio the case is "serious" and described the circumstances as "opaque".

All of the charges relate to three separate incidents, which were carried out within a five-day period.

The first came on May 8 when a 2018 Toyota Rav 4 - which was previously owned by the prime minister before he sold it to a neighbour - was found on fire on a street he used to live on in Kentish Town, north London.

Three days later, a fire was discovered at flats linked to the PM in nearby Islington. It led to one person being rescued by crews wearing breathing apparatus.

And on May 12, a third fire was discovered at the entrance to Sir Keir's four-bedroom Kentish Town home, which was being rented out.

The Labour leader had lived at the £2million property with his family before moving into 10 Downing Street in July last year.