Just Stop Oil activists who tried to target Taylor Swift’s private jet but ended up spraying paint on two other planes have been spared jail.
Jennifer Kowalski, 29, from Dumbarton, and Cole Macdonald, 23, from Brighton, broke through the fence at Stansted Airport with an angle grinder in June 2024.
They took turns spraying two planes with paint and filming. Both denied criminal damage but were found guilty after a trial at Chelmsford Crown Court in September.
The court heard they tried to target Swift’s jet but the two planes they sprayed belonged to an insurance firm and an investment group.
Kowalski, who has previous convictions over protests in Scotland, was sentenced to five months in prison – suspended for 12 months.
Macdonald was sentenced to six weeks – suspended for eight months.
Judge Alexander Mills said: “I’ve no doubt the reason you switched to the other jets was because you had been spotted.”
He said a plane refueller described how he had beeped his horn and “described you seemingly being triggered into action”.
Judge Mills said Kowalski’s actions were “affected by your neurodivergence” and also noted Macdonald’s autism diagnosis.
The pair each brought a large bag to court in case they were locked up, but hugged in the dock after finding out they were walking free.
“The actions of the two of you were all about publicity – both for Just Stop Oil and for yourselves,” he told them
“What greater publicity could there be than anything related to Taylor Swift,” he added. “That’s what you hoped to achieve.”
Prosecutor David Barr told the court the cost of cleaning the two jets was £12,576 and it cost £19,234 to repair the fence.
Another £24,000 was spent on consultation and inspection fees by engineers who chose the right chemical to remove the paint.
However, Kowalski was fined just £480 and must do up to 30 programme requirement days during her sentence.
Macdonald must complete up to 20 days of a rehabilitation activity.
Laura O’Brien, from the firm defending the pair, said: “Both my clients simply wanted to spark debate around the climate crisis and had no intention of causing criminal damage or disrupting the airport.
“All they were trying to achieve was to get Taylor Swift to speak up about the climate crisis, to harness her celebrity to bring attention to the climate crisis and to highlight the singer’s frequent use of her private jet.”
