A Wirral drone pilot has been convicted of a series of flying offences.
Nicholas Durbin, 45, of Merlin Avenue, Upton, denied four offences in relation to his flying of the drone. He was convicted following a trial at Sefton Magistrates' Court on Thursday, 13th March 2025.
Durbin was convicted of the following offences:
- Two offences of failing to comply with the maximum operating height (400 feet above ground level) of an unmanned small aircraft;
- Two offences of failing to comply with the requirement to maintain direct, unaided visual contact with an unmanned small aircraft.
The maximum sentence for each of these offences is a fine at level 4 (£2,500). You can read more about drone flying powers of enforcement in my earlier article.
Magistrates heard that Durbin was flying his drone on Anglesey on 20th March 2024. He flew at a height of almost 700 feet above ground level and out to a range of 2.4 km. Such a height was well in excess of the 400 feet limit and such a range was well out of sight from his position.
The other offences took place on 9th May 2024, when Durbin flew his drone from the Wirral, across the River Mersey to Bramley-Moore Dock, which is the location of the new Everton Stadium. In doing so he flew in excess of the 400 foot height limit and out to a range of 1.3 km, which was well out of sight from his position.
Despite his denials, Magistrates were sure that Durbin had committed all four offences.
He was fined £1,600 and ordered to pay £640 surcharge and £650 towards prosecution costs.
It is not clear if the court made any additional orders, such as deprivation of the drone equipment.
Sergeant Kyle Sayers said: "Over the coming months Merseyside Police will be proactively targeting illegal drone use and during the Aintree Festival next month a temporary restricted airspace will be in place.
"Merseyside Police is responsible for keeping the public safe and airspace restrictions form part of those measures just like road closures or river patrols.
"We have used drone restrictions to great effect during past large public events including Eurovision, Aintree Festival and the visit of HMS Prince of Wales to ensure people are not in any danger, however our proactive approach will not only target restricted airspace, as this prosecution shows.
"Drone users who fly inside a Restricted Airspace that have not been granted permission will be guilty of committing an offence and could be prosecuted as well as having their equipment seized and confiscated."
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