Just Stop Oil protesters deny damaging private jets with paint
The pair sprayed two planes at Stanstead Airport just hours after popstar Taylor Swift's aircraft landed
Two Just Stop Oil protesters have pleaded not guilty to causing as much as £52,000 worth of damage after two jets at Stansted Airport were sprayed with orange paint.
Jennifer Kowalski, 28, from Dumbarton, and Cole Macdonald, 22, from Brighton appeared at Chelmsford Magistrates’ Court on Saturday, denying accusations of causing criminal damage and interfering with national infrastructure.
Prosecutors say that the cost of cleaning up the paint was £52,000, although the full damage to the fence and amount needed to fund extra security in the wake of the alleged stunt is not yet known.
£52,000 worth of damage to two jets at Stanstead Airport
The pair are accused of using angle grinders to break through an airport fence at around 5am on Thursday before entering a taxiway with Just Stop Oil-branded fire extinguishers filled with orange spray paint, the court heard.
They appeared in court via videolink from Chelmsford police station, and are alleged to have sprayed the two jets with paint.
The court heard that thousands of passengers were impacted as 75 flights were disrupted during a 38-minute delay.
Kowalski and Macdonald are also both charged with aggravated trespass, though they were not asked to enter pleas for that.
The pair have been remanded in custody to appear at a plea and trial preparation hearing at Chelmsford Crown Court on July 22.
One supporter swore loudly from the public gallery after they were denied bail.
Taylor Swift jet not parked at the time of the incident
Environmental group Just Stop Oil said activists had entered the airfield and used fire extinguishers filled with orange paint.
Essex Police said it detained two people after they gained access to a private area of an airfield and were "causing damage to two aircraft".
The force confirmed the private jet of pop star Taylor Swift, which Just Stop Oil said had landed at Stansted "mere hours before", was not at the airport.
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