A convicted paedophile who used his drone to film children at a primary school in Wiltshire has avoided a prison sentence.
48-year-old Jeremy Bird pleaded guilty to making indecent images of children and recklessly allowing an aircraft to endanger people or property.
The defendant, of Coldharbour Lane, Salisbury, was previous convicted of of possessing indecent images in 2011 – for which he was handed a community order.
Winchester Crown Court heard yesterday (28 April), that police received a report that a drone had been flown over a primary school within the Salisbury area on several occasions, following the children within the playing fields in September 2023.
At around the same time, police received a further report from another school nearby reporting that when teachers were taking the children out to visit a harvest festival, a man was seen recording the children and trying to chat with them.
The man was seen a short time later in a vehicle – appearing to be taking more pictures of the children. Officers identified the suspect as Bird and his devices were seized on arrest.
The judge handed him a 19-month prison sentence suspended for two years. He was also made the subject of a 10-year Sexual Harm Prevention Order (SHPO).
Complex Crime Investigator Debbie Quayle, of Wiltshire Police, said: “I’d like to thank the schools for reporting Jeremy Bird’s behaviour – without their support we would be unaware of the extent of his offending.
“Mr Bird has taken no accountability for his actions and the fear he put into the children when flying his drone near to them to film them.
“He has now been sentenced and has been made the subject of a Sexual Harm Prevention Order, which places limits on his internet use and travel.
“He is also not allowed to own or use a drone and must also allow officers into his address to do checks.
“I hope this investigation also shows that we will not tolerate any person who uses drones in an inappropriate manner, and they will be brought to justice.”
