Animal rights activist Mel Broughton has appeared in court accused of conspiring to burn down parts of Oxford University.
Broughton, aged 47, is one of the founding members of Speak, the animal rights campaign group which has protested against the recently-opened animal testing centre on South Parks Road.
He pleaded not guilty to charges of conspiring to commit arson, possession of “an improvised incendiary device or devices” and keeping an explosive substance with intent, during a hearing at Oxford Crown Court on Tuesday.
Mel Broughton was arrested in November 2007. His trial is expected to start on Monday.
