Activists plead not guilty to spray painting jet

Jennifer Kowalski, 28, and Cole Macdonald, 22, appeared at Chelmsford Crown Court on Thursday

Two Just Stop Oil activists have denied criminal damage and interfering with national infrastructure after two private jets were sprayed in a protest at Stansted Airport.

Jennifer Kowalski, 28, of Dumbarton in Scotland and Cole Macdonald, 22, of Brighton, pleaded not guilty to criminal damage and interfering with national infrastructure at Chelmsford Crown Court on Thursday.

At the time of the incident on 20 June, a spokesperson from Just Stop Oil said activists had entered the airfield in Essex and used fire extinguishers filled with orange paint.

Judge Mary Loram KC set a pre-trial review hearing for 26 August next year.

Essex Police said the private jet of pop star Taylor Swift was not at the airport at the time.

The aircraft were owned by Prudential Insurance and by an investment group, according to charges read to the court.

The two defendants are due to stand trial at the same court on 15 September next year.

Prosecutors told an earlier hearing that the cost of cleaning up the paint was £52,000.

Judge Loram granted both defendants bail, with conditions that included they do not go within a mile of an airport and the same for when on moving public transport.

Essex Police previously confirmed that the private jet of popstar Taylor Swift - which Just Stop Oil said had landed at Stansted "mere hours before" - was not at the airport at the time.