Sir Keir Starmer arson trial hears Ukrainian 'did a bad job' when he set fire to PM's old car

A Ukrainian was told he "did a bad job" by a Russian-speaking taskmaster called El Money after setting fire to a car previously owned by Sir Keir Starmer, a jury has heard.

Roman Lavrynovych, 22, has been giving evidence during his trial at the Old Bailey, and, along with two other men, denies arson attacks on a vehicle and two houses in north London linked to the prime minister.

The court previously heard that a Toyota Rav4 car was burnt out in Kentish Town, north London, in the early hours of 8 May last year.

Lavrynovych, from Lewisham in south east London, said he had initially refused an offer of £3,000 in cryptocurrency for the car job, but he said that El Money became threatening, and told him that he had "better do this job", because he knew where he lived and it "might be dangerous" for him, jurors heard.

He is on trial alongside Stanislav Carpiuc, 27, from Romford in East London, and Petro Pochynok, 35, from Islington in north London, who all deny charges of conspiracy to damage property by fire between 1 April and 13 May last year.

Lavrynovych also denies damaging two properties by fire with intent to endanger life on 11 and 12 May last year.

On Monday, Lavrynovych told the court that he did not know who Sir Keir was, but was aware of Boris Johnson, the former prime minister. He said El Money's key aim was for the arson attacks to make the news.

He added that Pochynok "was expected to record the process of how I did the fire but he did instead the recording of me walking away from the fire".

An image showed Lavrynovych walking towards the camera and away from the vehicle that he said was at that point "set a little bit on fire".

Footage of the alleged arson was sent to a taskmaster called El Money who had been instructing him on the jobs via Telegram, the court has heard.

The defendant said he El Money had wanted video of the fire to be broadcast on the news, but it was not, the defendant said through a translator.

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El Money was unhappy with the result, Lavrynovych said, telling jurors: "[He] told me that we did a bad job, and the car is not on fire there."

Lavrynovych added: "He said that it's a video for two seconds and there is no view of the fire being set up.

"And he said that later they had checked and they didn't see [the] car on fire. He told me that this video might be not a genuine one."

Lavrynovych was then tasked with setting fire to the main door of a building on a nearby street on 11 May.

Jurors previously heard that it was managed by a company of which the prime minister had once been a director and shareholder.

"He told me there are no people in there… he told me the specific time, and he said at that time there are no people there," the defendant added.

He allegedly used white spirit, and he told the court the job was deemed a "success".

A property belonging to the prime minister, and occupied by his sister-in-law, was then set alight the following night, the court heard.

When Lavrynovych made several requests for payment, El Money said: "Look, you attacked a home of a very high ranking individual in Britain. I will send you money.

"You need to leave the city. If police detain you, send a secret message 'geranium', and I will send a lawyer over to you.

"I will give you money for a week's expenses and for a new phone. We won't be in contact for a week."

Lavrynovych said he never attempted to send a secret message using the code word.

The trial continues.

(c) Sky News 2026: Sir Keir Starmer arson trial hears Ukrainian 'did a bad job' when he set fire to PM's old car