‘Russian spy’, 20, charged with conducting hostile activity in UK

A 20-year-old British man has been charged with conducting hostile activity in the UK in order to benefit Russia, the Crown Prosecution Service (CPS) has said.

Dylan Earl, of Elmesthorpe, Leicestershire, is alleged to have engaged in conduct targeting businesses which were linked to Ukraine in order to benefit the Russian state and has been charged under the National Security Act 2023 , the CPS added.

Included in the alleged activity was involvement in the planning of an arson attack on a Ukrainian-linked commercial property in March 2024.

Four other men, all from south London, have been charged in connection with the investigation.

Paul English, 60, and Nii Mensah, 21, have been charged with aggravated arson.

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

Dmitrijus Paulauska, 22, has been charged with having information about terrorist acts.

Reporting restrictions, issued by the court in relation to the case, were lifted at 12pm on Friday, allowing the defendants to be named.

Nick Price, head of the CPS Special Crime and Counter Terrorism Division, said: “Dylan Earl, 20, is alleged to have engaged in conduct targeting businesses which were linked to Ukraine in order to benefit the Russian state.

“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.”

This story is being updated