Stonehenge protest fathers fined

Mr Stanesby dressed as Robin, during a protest in October 2003

Two fathers' rights campaigners have been fined for climbing on to the ancient Wiltshire monument Stonehenge.

Fathers 4 Justice protesters Richard West, 40, of Ottery St Mary, and Jolly Stanesby, 36, from Ivybridge, scaled the monument in February.

When they came down they were arrested by Wiltshire Police.

On Thursday they were found guilty of unlawfully climbing a national monument at Salisbury Magistrates' Court and fined £100 each with £100 costs.

Richard Adams, the South West co-ordinator for the group that campaigns for fathers rights to see their children, said supporters stormed out of court to burn copies of the Children Act.

He claimed they later returned but refused to sit down. He said: "As a campaign group we must evolve, and will always be innovative and humorous in our protests and stunts."

A spokeswoman for English Heritage said after the case: "Although the protest back in February was peaceful and there was no damage to the stones, we were disappointed that this group chose Stonehenge to make their protest.

"We feel this was disrespectful to the monument."