Briton accused of being a Russian spy 'recruited men for arson attack'

‘Wagner-linked’ suspect, 20, picked Ukraine target in UK, court told

- Paul Jeeves

A MAN has appeared in court accused of being a Wagner Group spy for Russia who allegedly recruited criminals to burn down a UK building linked to Ukraine.

It is alleged that Kremlin agents tapped Briton Dylan Earl, 20, before fire hit a warehouse in Leyton, East London, last month.

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

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

Earl, of Leicestershire, was allegedly in contact with a handler in the Wagner Group before organising and paying for an arson attack on two industrial estate units in Leyton on March 20.

Mercenary group Wagner, heavily recruited from Russian prisons, was set up by the Kremlin in 2014 to help wage its initial invasion of Ukraine's eastern Donbas region.