Two “Covid deniers” have been ordered to pay more than £1,000 after being found guilty of impersonating police officers.

A court heard that David Stewart, 54, and Jessica Colins, 42, who regularly dress as “peace officers” and patrol demonstrations, dressed up as police at an anti-vaccine protest in Crawley in October.

The pair, of Haywards Road, Haywards Heath, who describe themselves as “Covid deniers”, were charged with wearing police uniforms with intent to deceive. They pleaded not guilty at an earlier hearing.

The charge stated that they wore police uniforms, namely a hi-visibility jacket, flat cap, black cargo trousers and top and insignias, in circumstances where it “gave you an appearance so nearly resembling that of a member of a police force as to be calculated to deceive”.

Following a trial at Horsham Magistrates’ Court on March 16, Stewart was fined £392 and ordered to pay costs of £650 and a victim surcharge of £39, while Collins was fined £126 and ordered to pay a surcharge of £34.

At a hearing last October, their friends came to court to support them dressed as police, while a group of campaigners congratulated the couple as they left court, with passing drivers honking their car horns in support.

Speaking after the hearing in October, Stewart described their arrest as “a farce”.