It’s a disturbing story about Jeremy Bird, 47, who recently admitted to recklessly flying a drone above young pupils at a Wiltshire primary school.
The situation escalated to the point where one child reportedly ran away in tears as the drone seemed to follow them.
What Happened with the Drone at the School
At Salisbury Magistrates Court, Bird pleaded guilty to recklessly or negligently operating an aircraft in a way that could endanger people or property.
Despite accepting the charge, he claimed he didn’t actually have control over the drone.
His reason? Bird said he lacked the proper qualification to fly it, but still owned up to the reckless behavior.
The court heard from Elizabeth Valera, who explained that the Crown accused Bird of flying the lightweight aircraft specifically to watch the primary school children.
She described a chilling moment captured on video where a child was followed by the drone and ended up running and crying.
Adding to the concern, Bird had previously tried to talk to some of the schoolchildren outside the school grounds, which only made the situation more unsettling for the community.
Defense and Court Proceedings
Bird’s defense lawyer, Paul Jones, clarified that the charge was about reckless flying of the drone, not about taking images of the children.
Jones pointed out that Bird’s guilty plea was tied to the fact he didn’t have the required qualification to operate the drone safely.
But the story doesn’t stop there. At a separate hearing in Winchester Crown Court, Bird also pleaded guilty to two charges of making indecent photographs — including the most serious Category A images.
Prosecutor Kellie Enever reminded the court about Bird’s previous convictions dating back to 2011.
What Comes Next for Jeremy Bird
Bird is scheduled for sentencing at Salisbury Crown Court on July 18.
Until then, he has been granted bail with strict conditions: he must avoid any unsupervised contact with children under 18, and he’s banned from entering any school grounds.
Back in 2011, Bird received a community order after being caught with indecent images, so this case adds to a troubling pattern.