Man accused of working for Russian Wagner group admits arson attack on London business

A British man has admitted an arson attack on a Ukrainian-linked business in London alleged to have been carried out on behalf of the Russian Wagner group.

Dylan Earl, 20, pleaded guilty at the Old Bailey to aggravated arson over the blaze at an industrial unit in Leyton, east London, on 20 March, which needed 60 firefighters to bring it under control.

A court previously heard he orchestrated the attack on behalf of the Wagner Group, a Russian mercenary company, which is proscribed as a terrorist organisation in the UK.

Earl, of Elmesthorpe, Leicestershire, also admitted a charge of preparatory conduct under the National Security Act 2023, the new set of spying laws brought in last year. The charge carries a maximum sentence of life in prison.

It states that he committed acts endangering the life of a person or acts creating a serious risk to the health and safety of the public in the UK between 1 February and 18 April.

He denied a further charge of assisting a foreign intelligence service under the same legislation.

Prosecutors said they would not pursue a trial on the charge but will ask for the allegations to be taken into account when Earl is sentenced.

A court previously heard that Earl recruited and paid others to carry out the arson attack on Ukrainian-linked businesses owned by Oddisey and Meest UK, which owned the warehouses.

Five other men have also been charged with aggravated arson between 1 and 31 March and are still facing trial.

The charge states the defendants along with “others unknown” damaged by fire commercial premises belonging to “Mr X intending to destroy such property and being reckless as to whether life would be endangered”.