Undated handout file photo issued by the Crown Prosecution Service of Jake Reeves (left) and Dylan Earl. A group of Wagner Group operatives has been sentenced for setting fire to a warehouse that stored aid for Ukraine, as part of an orchestrated “campaign of terrorism and sabotage” on behalf of the Russian state. Dylan Earl received a 17-year sentence, while fellow organizer Jake Reeves was sentenced to 12 years; both pleaded guilty, marking them as the first to be convicted under the National Security Act 2023. Jakeem Rose was sentenced to eight years and ten months, Nii Mensah to nine years, and homeless Ugnius Asmena to seven years after being found guilty of committing aggravated arson following a trial at the Old Bailey. Issue date: Friday, October 24, 2025. PA Photo. Photo credit should read: CPS/PA Wire. NOTE TO EDITORS: This handout photo may only be used for editorial reporting purposes for the contemporaneous illustration of events, things, or the people in the image or facts mentioned in the caption. Reuse of the picture may require further permission from the copyright holder. Credit: PA
Six British men recruited by Russia’s Wagner Group mercenaries were sentenced to a total of 65 years yesterday.
The greedy traitors set fire to a warehouse in Leyton, East London, causing £1 million in damages and destroying essential satellite equipment intended for aid to Ukraine.
(Left to right) Ashton Evans, Nii Mensah, Jakeem Rose, and Ugnius Asmena were all sentenced at The Old Bailey.
Credit: PA
The spy cell was also tasked with kidnapping billionaire Evgeny Chichvarkin, a Russian dissident.
Dylan Earl, 21, from Elmesthorpe, Leicestershire, received a 17-year sentence after admitting to aggravated arson and violating the National Security Act. Jake Reeves, 23, from Croydon, South London, pleaded guilty to arson and accepting money from a foreign intelligence service, resulting in a 12-year sentence.
Nii Mensah, 23, from Thornton Heath, was sentenced to ten years, while Jakeem Rose, 23, from the same area, received a nine-year sentence for his involvement. Ugnius Asmena, 20, was given eight years, and IT student Ashton Evans, 20, from Newport, Gwent, was sentenced to nine years.
The men were initially recruited by an automated Russian chatbot searching for recruits on the encrypted Telegram app.
While sentencing the men at the Old Bailey, Mrs. Justice Cheema-Grubb stated that they betrayed their country for “easy money.”
The judge emphasized that Russians were “exploiting the greed and base instincts of individuals” and remarked that in previous years, their actions would simply be termed “treason” by our parents and grandparents.
Jake Reeves (left) and Dylan Earl (right) were among six British men recruited by Russia’s Wagner group.
Credit: PA
### Table of Contents
1. Overview of Sentencing
2. Details of the Crime
3. Sentences Imposed
4. Recruitment Methods
5. Judicial Remarks
### FAQ
- What crimes were the men convicted of?
- The men were convicted of aggravated arson and violations of the National Security Act.
- How long were the sentences?
- The total sentences amounted to 65 years, with individual sentences ranging from seven to 17 years.
- What was the target of the arson?
- The target was a warehouse in Leyton, East London, which contained vital satellite equipment intended for aid to Ukraine.
