gang who set fire to warehouse in london for the wagner group are jailed

In a search of his home,police found a Russian flag,more than £20,000 in cash and cocaine hydrochloride with a street value of some £34,000.

Evidence on his phone revealed details of a cryptocurrency account with more than £58,000 and images of bundles of cash estimated to total £175,000.

The aftermath of the attack (Picture: PA)

In mitigation for Earl,Paul Hynes KC said he was ‘easy meat’ for exploitation by the Wagner Group,as he saw the world through the ‘prism of online gaming’.

Hynes said: ‘This is not a John le Carre novel. But nevertheless those who would wish the UK and other countries ill will continue to try to latch on to people like Mr Earl.’

For Reeves,Henry Blaxland KC said the evidence showed ‘the extent to which the Russian state and agents of the Russian state have managed to penetrate the UK through taking advantage of adolescents buried in their computers’.

He said Reeves’ judgment was ‘distorted’ by his excessive use of the drug ketamine.

The court was told the men tasked by Earl and Reeves to carry out the arson attack in Leyton were ‘amateurs’ motivated by the promise of money they never received.

Commander Dominic Murphy,head of Counter Terrorism Policing London,said: ‘This case is a clear example of an organisation linked to the Russian state using “proxies”,in this case British men,to carry out very serious criminal activity in this country on their behalf.

‘The ringleaders,Earl and Reeves,willingly acted as hostile agents on behalf of the Russian state.

‘I am pleased that,working closely with the Crown Prosecution Service,we were able to use the new National Security Act legislation,which meant the severity of Earl and Reeves’s offending was reflected in the charges they faced.’

Charges in full

Earl,21,from Leicestershire,admitted a National Security Act offence,along with Jake Reeves,24,from Croydon who was jailed for 12 years. The pair are the first to be convicted of offences under the National Security Act 2023.The other four men:Nii Mensah,23,from Thorton Heath,who streamed the attack,was jailed for 10 yearsJakeem Rose,from Croydon,who set the buildings alight,was jailed for nine yearsUgnius Asmena,of no fixed address,who arranged the getaway car and was there on the night,was jailed for eight yearsAshton Evans,20,from South Wales,was jailed for nine years failing to tell police what he knew about a planned kidnappingGot a story?