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Sky News
2 days ago
- Business
- Sky News
Arsonist told to watch spy drama by Russian mercenary group before fire, court told
A man who has admitted to aggravated arson at a Ukraine-linked warehouse was told to watch a Cold War spy drama as his "manual", the Old Bailey has heard. The Russian mercenary Wagner group allegedly recommended that Dylan Earl, 20, "please see" The Americans - a show where undercover spies carry out dangerous missions for the Soviet Union - to "understand" the work better, the jury was told. Prosecutors say that Earl was "knowingly acting at the behest" of Wagner - a private military contractor linked to Russia, which is proscribed as a terrorist organisation - who "commissioned the arson attack" in Leyton, East London, on 20 March 2024. The arson attack took place at an industrial unit supplying StarLink satellite equipment to Ukraine, and caused around £1m of damage. Earl pleaded guilty to arson and 'preparatory conduct' - actively planning a crime - after being arrested in April last year. Before his arrest, the prosecution says Earl, on behalf of Wagner Group, also planned arson attacks on two businesses - a wine shop called Hedonism, and a restaurant called HIDE - in Mayfair, as well as the kidnap of the businesses' owner, a Russian dissident. The Americans The jury was told Earl had been sent details about the TV spy drama on 19 March - the day before the arson attack. Duncan Penny KC, prosecuting, said Earl had been tasked by Telegram user Privet Bot to watch the show. "Will you please see the serial Americans", one message read. "I recommend to watch it in order to understand work", read another. The next day - the day of the fire - other messages from 'Privet Bot' invited Earl to form a "movement", which it would offer "support" to. The messages also urged Earl to "watch this [The Americans] series" - adding "it will be your manual". Ashton Evans Mr Penny said Earl subsequently sent a message on Snapchat to one of the defendants, Ashton Evans, on 28 March 2024 with two words: "The Americans". The prosecution claims Earl was giving Evans a similar instruction to watch the show. Evans, 20, who is charged with failing to disclose information about terrorist acts, was in contact with Earl, "the architect of these offences", across three messaging platforms: iMessage chat, Snapchat and Signal, the court heard. He is accused of being aware of the Leyton arson before it occurred, the Mayfair plots and knowing that Earl was acting on the instructions of the Wagner Group. Evans admitted using the name 'Alexander Solonik' on Signal, Mr Penny said, explaining that the individual was reputed to be a Russian gangster, known for his reputation as a notorious hitman in the Russian criminal underworld. Kidnap plot Citing messages between Evans and Earl on 26 March 2024, Mr Penny said Evans had messaged to ask for details about the kidnap plot. "Send deets", Mr Penny read from the court bundle, quoting Evans, "they only paying 40k for a man worth a billion". The reference to "a man worth a billion", Mr Penny explained, is likely to be to the owner of Hide and Hedonism. The court heard that Earl and Evans exchanged further messages about the Mayfair plot on 30 March 2024, and Earl had explained it was a "wine shop" with "20 million pounds of stock". Another message read: "Obviously maybe only 1-2 million damnged (sic) but it be insured". "The thing is", another message acknowledged, "There's houses above", around "120ft nbove (sic)", and so recommended: "maybe we find a way so no one harmed." "But clean only bro", the prosecution quoted Earl texting, "Because there will be a good amount of heat after this it will be on every news channel and radio in our country". Four other men are on trial at the Old Bailey - Nii Kojo Mensah, 23, Jakeem Rose, 23, both from Thornton Heath, South London, Paul English, 61, from Roehampton, South London, and Ugnius Asmena, 20, of no fixed abode - deny aggravated arson. Ashton Evans and Dmitrijus Paulauskas, 22, both from Newport, Gwent, deny failing to disclose information about terrorist acts. Duncan Penny KC, prosecuting, told the court the defendants "may have been ignorant of that influence and the motive may have been financial - good old-fashioned greed".
Daily Mail
2 days ago
- Business
- Daily Mail
Arson gang hired to burn down warehouse linked to Ukraine did not get paid by Russia as the attack was not up to Wagner Group's 'standards', court hears
Russia refused to pay arsonists who carried out a £1 million attack in the UK because the blaze wasn't up to the Wagner Group 's 'standards', a court has heard. The terrorist group conducting a sabotage campaign on behalf of Russian intelligence allegedly recruited a group of British men to set fire to a warehouse in Leyton, East London, destroying over £100,000 worth of equipment, including generators and vital satellite equipment destined for Ukraine. Today the Old Bailey heard that while the ringleader Dylan Earl, 20, had grand plans to do 'something big' for the Kremlin, boasting he could build 'a link' between the Wagner Group, IRA and notorious Kinahan crime cartel, his first mission failed to impress Russian handlers. Days before the blaze, a Wagner Group operative told Earl to watch a Cold War drama about KGB spies as a 'manual' for his mission, it was said. The Wagner contact known only by his Telegram handle 'Privet Bot' recommended watching the television series The Americans, about KGB agents undercover in the US, 'in order to understand work'. He allegedly told Earl: 'The idea is like that. You need to organise partisan cells in the country and in Europe and think of a name for your movement. We'll give you support... 'Watch this series. It will be your manual. You'll have a source of funding through organising arsons.' Privet Bot also messaged Earl asking: 'Hello friend, how are you, do you have any friends among hooligans or acquaintances in the IRA?' 'Do you have access to firearms?' Four men accused of carrying out the arson attack, Jakeem Rose, 23, Ugnius Asmena, 20, Nii Mensah, 23 and Paul English, 61, were told to live stream it to Earl so he could report back to the Russians on the success of the 'mission'. But unlike the KGB drama, in real life the arsonists made a series of errors, forgetting to film the attack and having to return to the scene where they were captured on CCTV and Rose dropped a knife with his DNA on it, jurors heard. One member of the gang, Jake Reeves, 23, from Croydon, South London, who has already admitted his part in the conspiracy, later complained they 'didn't do it to Wagner standards.' 'They were supposed to make it burn.. but they just ran in there,' he said. Two days after the attack, Earl admitted he was 'waiting on payment still, apparently it'll land today but it's nowhere near the amount because they didn't burn the whole thing.' Mensah allegedly complained about not being paid saying: 'Bro it's f****** burnt. We did some damage. U said u will pay on consider damage. Just be reasonable.' He added: 'Bro how u want us to do another job without getting paid. Just pay for the warehouse. Idk [I don't know] why ur stalling 1k.' The blaze at 11.40pm on March 20 last year started with a jerry can of petrol caused more than £1 million in damage to the premises, which was targeted because of its connection to Ukraine, with the warehouse being used to store StarLink satellite equipment and humanitarian aid bound for the war zone. The court heard that the 'architect' of the scheme, Earl had grand ambitions to 'build a link' between the IRA, Kinahans and Russia boasting: 'We have direct connection to the Kremlin, we can do something big.' Earl and Reeves have already admitted their involvement in the arson plot and a separate plan to set fire to businesses in Mayfair, west London, kidnapping the Russian dissident owner on behalf of the Wagner Group. Prosecutor Duncan Penny, KC, told jurors: 'This was deliberate and calculated criminality - at the behest of foreign influence. 'In the case of these defendants at the time of the fire they may have been ignorant of that influence and the motive may have been financial - good old-fashioned greed. 'For others, however, it appears to have been both political and ideological.' Rose, of Croydon, Asmena, of no fixed address, Mensah, of Thornton Heath and English, of Roehampton, all deny aggravated arson. The case continues.
