Arsonist who torched MP Mike Freer’s shed says it wasn’t politically motivated | UK | News | EUROtoday

A person has pleaded responsible to setting fireplace to a shed belonging to Conservative MP Mike Freer – however denied it was politically motivated. Paul Harwood, 42, was charged over a hearth final Christmas Eve on the MP’s constituency workplace in Ballards Lane, north Finchley, north London.

The defendant, who lives in Ballards Lane, was additionally charged over one other arson assault on a bin on the rear of a property in Long Lane, Finchley, on the identical night time.

On Tuesday, he appeared on the Old Bailey by way of video hyperlink and pleaded responsible to 2 fees of arson.

The cost referring to the MP acknowledged that on December 24 2023 he “damaged by fire to a shed…belonging to Mike Freer intending to damage such property or being reckless as to whether such property would be damaged and being reckless as to whether life to others would be endangered”.

The different cost acknowledged that he with out “lawful excuse…damaged by fire a bin belonging to another…intending to damage such property or being reckless as to whether property was damaged”.

Harwood’s barrister Tim Williams submitted that the offences have been “not in any way politically motivated or targeted”.

A second defendant, Zara Kasory, 32, of Woodhouse Road, north Finchley, denied the identical fees and faces trial at Harrow Crown Court on July 1.

Judge John Lodge set an extra listening to for March 12 and remanded the defendants into custody.

Mr Freer, 63, was appointed Parliamentary Under Secretary of State for the Ministry of Justice on September 20, 2022.

He served as minister for exports and minister for equalities between September 2021 and July 6, 2022.

He was first elected as MP for Finchley and Golders Green in May 2010.

In January he confirmed he wouldn’t be searching for re-election when Rishi Sunak goes to the polls later this yr.