Daily Mail

Drone arrest couple: We are feeling violated and distressed

- By Tom Witherow

THE couple arrested by police over the drone chaos at Gatwick Airport have said they feel ‘completely violated’.

Paul Gait and Elaine Kirk, who were held in custody for two nights before being released, said they were ‘deeply distressed’ by the ordeal. Sussex Police said on Sunday the couple were no longer suspects. A police spokesman also mistakenly suggested there may not have been a drone at all.

Around 1,000 flights affecting 140,000 passengers were cancelled or diverted after drones were spotted over Gatwick last week.

An emotional Mr Gait, 47, of Crawley, West Sussex, said the couple were receiving medical care.

The window-fitter added: ‘We are feeling completely violated. Our home has been searched and our privacy and identity completely exposed. Our names, photos and other personal informatio­n have

‘Receiving medical care’

been broadcast throughout the world. We are deeply distressed, as are our friends, and we are currently receiving medical care.

‘The way we were initially perceived has been disgusting, although the people who knew us didn’t doubt us for a second.’

Mr Gait said he and Miss Kirk, 54, were trying to get through Christmas ‘as best we can’. The operator of the drone remains at large.

The claim there may not have been a drone was blasted as a ‘messup’ by ministers on Christmas Eve. Sussex Police Deputy Chief Constable Jo Shiner later stressed: ‘We can unequivoca­lly state that there have been numerous illegal drone sightings at the airport over three days.’

It emerged there were more than 200 reported sightings. The Government said detection systems will be deployed across the UK to combat the threat of drones.

Gatwick has offered a £50,000 reward through Crimestopp­ers, and another £10,000 has been put up by the charity’s chairman, Lord Ashcroft, for informatio­n leading to the arrest of those responsibl­e.

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