Stonehenge protest was 'act of blatant vandalism'

Three people deny damaging the ancient monument

Just Stop Oil protesters who sprayed Stonehenge with orange power "carefully planned" the act, a court was told.

Salisbury Crown Court heard on Monday the prehistoric stones were covered in orange powder paint as part of a protest by the campaign group on 19 June last year.

Rajan Naidu, 74, Niamh Lynch, 22, Luke Watson, 36, are accused of damaging an ancient protected monument and causing a public nuisance. They deny the charges.

Simon Jones told the jury: "The prosecution say that this is an act of blatant and clear vandalism."

Mr Naidu, of Gosford Street, Birmingham and University of Oxford student Ms Lynch, of Norfolk Road, Bedford, are accused of using two fire extinguishers filled with cornflour, talc and an orange dye to spray the monument.

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

Speaking to the jury, Mr Jones said Mr Naidu and Miss Lynch crossed the boundary ropes at the site, in Wiltshire, "armed with fire extinguishers" and "sprayed over the stones".

He said: "Now they will inevitably say that this was done as an act of protest and in order to bring publicity to the cause and the demand they made of the government to commit to ending new fossil fuel licensing.

"However, by deliberately targeting these stones and causing the damage they did in order to seek to bring attention to that cause, the prosecution say that their actions created a risk of or cause serious harm to a section of the public."

Mr Jones described Stonehenge as arguably the best recognised and architecturally sophisticated prehistoric stone circle in the world, built around 5,000 years ago.

"The site in Wiltshire is visited by members of the public from all over the world, providing both an education and spiritual experience.

"The stones are a protected ancient monument," he added.

Mr Jones said the cost of cleaning the stones was £620.

He added the incident happened the day before the summer solstice where around 15,000 people were due to gather and celebrate.

The trial continues.