'No harmful intention' behind Stonehenge protest

Three people are in court accused of damaging Stonehenge

A Just Stop Oil supporter accused of spraying Stonehenge with orange powder told a jury he had "no intention to do anything harmful".

Rajan Naidu, 74, and Oxford University student Niamh Lynch, 22, are accused of using two fire extinguishers filled with cornflour, talc and an orange dye to spray the prehistoric stones on June 19 last year.

They are on trial at Salisbury Crown Court, along with Luke Watson, 36. The three defendants deny charges of damaging an ancient protected monument and causing a public nuisance.

Giving evidence, Mr Naidu said it was "vital" the group got their message across as the planet was in "a climate and ecological crisis".

Mr Naidu told the court he had "no intention to do anything reckless or harmful in any sense" to the "sacred" monument.

"I don't think I come across as a dangerous or threatening person, and I don't think Niamh comes across as a dangerous or threatening person," he said.

Talking about an image shown to court, which appears to show the two defendants sat in front of the monument, Mr Naidu said: "I don't think I scare people, I don't think Niamh scares people and you can see in the way that we behave, there's nothing in that that's scary."

'Highway to hell'

Asked by Simon Jones, prosecuting, whether he thought direct action was necessary, Mr Naidu said: "I felt it was, yes, because we've taken the actions which we'd talked about: the lobbying; we've had demonstrations; we've had marches; but still Government policy hasn't changed.

"We're still on a highway to hell."

Before the incident, Mr Naidu said he had carried out research around the company which makes the pre-made orange powder.

"It is used in ceremonies and people throw it over one another and it is cleanable," he said.

The court previously heard that Mr Naidu and Ms Lynch crossed the boundary ropes and trespassed into the area around the monument before launching the attack.

Mr Jones said Mr Watson had driven his co-accused to Stonehenge that morning and had also "encouraged them in these acts".

The protest happened the day before the summer solstice when about 15,000 people were set to gather to see the sunrise align with the ancient stones.

It cost about £620 to clean the stones, the court was told.

The trial continues.