Elmesthorpe Resident Accused in Alleged Arson Plot with Russian Agents
A 20-year-old British man, Dylan James Earl, from Elmesthorpe in Leicestershire, has been charged under the National Security Act, accused of collaborating with Russian agents. Allegedly recruited as a spy, Earl is said to have engaged in reconnaissance missions, recruitment efforts, and arson activities on behalf of the Russian government.
The case, previously withheld for national security reasons, has now been revealed. Earl is accused of orchestrating an arson attack on two units in Leyton, east London, targeting businesses with connections to Ukraine in order to benefit Russia. Co-defendants Nii Kojo Mensah, Paul Adrian English, and Jake Reeves are implicated in starting the fire.
The blaze, requiring 60 firefighters over four hours to control, reportedly aimed at units linked to Russia and Ukraine, with the alleged target referred to as ‘Mr X’.
Earl appeared in Westminster magistrates court and was remanded in custody until a further hearing at the Old Bailey. Mensah and English, also British citizens, faced charges and were similarly remanded in custody.
Earl is accused of fraudulent activities, reconnaissance of targets, and recruitment efforts for a foreign intelligence service between December 2021 and April 2024. Additionally, he faces charges of endangering life and aggravated arson, indicating reckless intent to destroy property with potential harm to life.
