Jury told to weigh up oil activists’ right to protest

TO find three Just Stop Oil supporters guilty of damaging Stonehenge by spraying orange powder onto it a jury would have to be satisfied a conviction would be a proportionate interference in their rights to freedom of expression and protest, a court heard.

- ROD MINCHIN

> The scene at Stonehenge last year; inset, Niamh Lynch and Rajan Naidu are accused of damaging the ancient monument

(Andrew Matthews/Just Stop Oil/PA)

Rajan Naidu, 74, and University of Oxford student Niamh Lynch, 23, are accused of using two fire extinguishers filled with cornflour, talc and an orange dye to spray the World Heritage Site during a fossil fuel protest.

‘The two, together with Luke Watson, 36, targeted Stonehenge the day before last year’s summer solstice.

Salisbury Crown Court heard Watson had purchased the fire extinguishers and had driven his coaccused to the Wiltshire monument on the morning of the protest.

The three defendants each deny charges of damaging an ancient protected monument and causing a public nuisance.

During the trial, jurors were told it cost £620 to remove the orange powder from the stones.

Giving his legal directions following a 10-day trial, Judge Paul Dugdale told the jury they should decide the case on only the evidence heard in court and it was for the prosecution to prove their case.

He also warned them to put their own views about Just Stop Oil to one side when deliberating.

“You may have views in favour or against how they protest)” he said.