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Two deny charges over Just Stop Oil protest at Stonehenge

Rajan Naidu, 74, and Niamh Lynch, 22, pleaded not guilty to two charges.

Rod Minchin
Wednesday 29 January 2025 07:01 EST
Rajan Naidu pleaded not guilty (Andrew Matthews/PA)
Rajan Naidu pleaded not guilty (Andrew Matthews/PA) (PA Wire)

Two people have denied charges resulting from an incident at Stonehenge in which orange powder was sprayed on the ancient monument during a Just Stop Oil protest.

Rajan Naidu, 74, and Niamh Lynch, 22, pleaded not guilty to two charges of damaging an ancient protected monument and causing a public nuisance following the incident on June 19 last year.

A third defendant, Luke Watson, 35, was excused attendance from the hearing at Salisbury Crown Court and did not enter pleas to the charges he faces.

Watson, of Manuden, Bishop’s Stortford, Essex, will next appear in court on May 30.

Judge Rufus Taylor fixed a two-week trial at Winchester Crown Court beginning on October 20.

A pre-trial review hearing will take place on September 19.

Naidu, of Gosford Street, Birmingham, and Lynch, of Norfolk Road, Bedford, were released on bail.

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