Starmer's sister-in-law 'scared' after arson attack on her home, court hears

Starmer's sister-in-law 'scared' after arson attack on her home, court hears7 minutes agoShareSaveAdd as preferred on GoogleDaniel De Simoneat the Old BaileyMetropolitan PoliceThe three men charged (from left to right): Petro Pochynok, Roman Lavrynovych and Stanislav CarpiucThe prime minister's sister-in-law was "scared" and "struggling to breathe" after an arson attack at her home, the Old Bailey has heard.On 12 May 2025, a fire was discovered at the entrance of Sir Keir Starmer's property in Kentish Town, north London, which was being rented out to his sister-in-law Judith Alexander.Ukrainian nationals Roman Lavrynovych 22, and Petro Pochynok, 35, and Ukrainian-born Romanian national Stanislav Carpiuc, 27, are accused of targeting this house, another property and a car linked to Sir Keir last year. They deny all the charges.On the second day of their trial, jurors heard how Alexander became aware of the fire at 01:00 BST while awake in bed on her phone.In a witness statement read by a prosecutor, Alexander said her partner was asleep next to her and her daughter was asleep downstairs in her room just above the fire."All of a sudden I heard two bangs," she said. "It was very loud and sounded like two wheelie bins had been thrown at the door."She described looking down into the street and seeing "black billowing smoke" and an "orange glow where the door was"."I was scared," she said. The court heard how Alexander had called the fire brigade and also tried to phone her sister "Vicky" - referring to Sir Keir's wife, Victoria. Alexander said her daughter was "really frightened" and came into her bedroom to say she could smell smoke before providing "Covid masks" for everyone to wear. "The house was full of smoke. I have asthma and was struggling to breathe," Alexander said.It was only after the fire brigade had attended in the earl...