British man accused of London arson plot for Russia’s Wagner group appears in court

Dylan Earl is charged under new spy laws of orchestrating an arson plot on Ukraine linked business in London

Men accused of spying for Russia appeared at the Old Bailey (Jonathan Brady/PA) (PA Archive)

A British man accused of masterminding an arson plot on a Ukraine-linked business in London after allegedly being recruited as a Russian spy has appeared in court.

Dylan Earl has been charged under the National Security Act 2023 - the first case to involve alleged offences under the new spy legislation.

Four other men, Paul English, Nil Mensah, Jake Reeves and Dmitrijus Paulauska have also been charged in connection with the case.

Earl is accused of undertaking fraudulent activity, research and reconnaissance of targets, and attempting to recruit individuals to materially assist a foreign intelligence service carrying out UK-related activities, prosecutors say.

Court documents show he is alleged to be connected to the terrorist group the Wagner Group.

He appeared at London’s Old Bailey on Friday via video link from HMP Belmarsh wearing a grey prison-issue tracksuit, where he spoke only to confirm his name and date of birth.

The 20-year-old, from Leicestershire, is accused of organising and paying for an arson attack on two units on an industrial estate Leyton, east London on 20 March.

He was joined in court by Paulauska, 22, who appeared in person wearing a navy shirt. He spoke only to confirm his name and confirm he understood his bail conditions - which include a curfew and surrendering his passports.

The three other defendants, English, Mensah and Reeves, did not attend the brief hearing. The case was adjourned until 4 October for a pre-trial hearing.

Dmitrijus Paulauska (left) and Jake Reeves at a previous hearing at Westminster Magistrates' Court last month (PA)

Earl is alleged to have targeted businesses which were linked to Ukraine in order to benefit the Russian state, according to the Crown Prosecution Service.

The blaze required 60 firefighters to bring it under control and the alleged target of the fire is labelled as “Mr X” in the charges.

In a statement last month, the CPS said: “Included in the alleged activity was involvement in the planning of an arson attack on a Ukrainian-linked commercial property in March 2024.

“Two further men, Paul English, 60, and Nii Mensah, 21, have also been charged with aggravated arson in connection with this case.

“Another man, Jake Reeves, 22, has been charged with agreeing to accept a material benefit from a foreign intelligence service as well as aggravated arson.

“A fifth man, Dmitrijus Paulauska, 22, has been charged with having information about terrorist acts.”

Reeves and Paulaska previously appeared at Westminster Magistrates’ Court last month where they were not required to enter pleas. Reeves was remanded in custody and Paulaska was granted conditional.

The National Security Act, which became law in December last year, is legislation to toughen laws on hostile acts against the UK, including espionage, interference in our political system, sabotage, and assassination.

Earl is charged with aggravated arson and assisting a foreign intelligence service contrary to section three of the act. While Reeves is accused of aggravated arson agreeing to accept a material benefit from a foreign intelligence service, also contrary to the new act.

English and Mensah are both charged with aggravated arson reckless as to whether life will be endangered, contrary to section one of the Criminal Damage Act 1971.

Paulauska is accused of having information about terrorist acts, contrary to section 38B of the Terrorism Act 2000.