Man, 47, ‘flew drone over primary school playground leaving child in tears’

A PEST flew a drone over a primary school’s playground to watch children, a court heard. 

Jeremy Bird, 47, made one pupil run away in tears as the device followed them around, magistrates were told yesterday. 

AlamyA pest flew a drone over a primary school’s playground to watch children, a court heard[/caption] Jeremy Bird, 47, made one pupil run away in tears as the device followed them around, magistrates were toldMarc Giddings

He is said to have deliberately targeted the child in September 2023.

Prosecutor Elizabeth Valera told JPs: “The Crown say he flew the drone specifically to watch the children. 

“A child is actually followed and is running and crying while being followed by the drone.” 

Miss Valera said Bird was known to have “a persistent manner of ­trying to engage children in conversations outside schools and taking pictures of them”. 

Bird admitted a charge of recklessly or negligently causing or permitting an aircraft, namely a drone, to endanger a person or property at Pembroke Park Primary School in ­Salisbury, Wilts. 

His solicitor, Paul Jones, told the city’s magistrates’ court: “He accepted his use of the drone was reckless because he does not have the qualifications to do so.

“He is pleading guilty to that.” 

Bird was bailed until next month on condition that he does not enter school grounds or any associated parking area, has no unsupervised contact with under 18s, registers any new drone with the police and hands over any internet device to the police on request. 

Marc GiddingsThe prosecution said Bird was known to have ‘a persistent manner of ­trying to engage children in conversations outside schools and taking pictures of them’[/caption]