Man flying drone near Manx Grand Prix course fined

Andrew Summers has been fined £750 and ordered to pay £125

An ex-police officer from Merseyside who flew a drone near the Manx Grand Prix course during the first day of qualifying has been fined.

Andrew Summers, 56, was flying his drone from the Creg Ny Baa car park at about 14:45 BST on Sunday, despite there being a ban during practice and race periods throughout the event.

Douglas Courthouse heard the drone was reported by the Creg Ny Baa pub staff to the deputy course marshal and Summers who was operating it from the car park was arrested.

Pleading guilty to operating an unnamed aerial vehicle within 0.6 miles (1km) of the course, Summers was fined £750 and must pay an additional £125 in costs.

Douglas Courthouse heard that the drone was hovering about 20ft (6m) high and was about 16 to 20 ft (5 to 6m) away from the course.

'Safety at risk'

Summers, of Beresford Close, Prenton, Mersyside, told a marshal "I don't know what I have done wrong, it wasn't above the circuit".

He was co-operative, waited for the police to arrive and was arrested, the court was told.

The Deputy Course Marshal made a formal complaint, and in a statement said that the actions "put the safety of the event at risk".

His defence advocate told the court Summers, who was also a former Royal Marine, used an app which usually shows if an area has flight restrictions, but no warnings flashed up at that location on the app.

He had been taking scenic footage of the motorbikes coming down the mountain and it was "nothing sinister", his defence continued.

However, the prosecutor told the court that maps were available online, showing which areas were restricted.

Fining him, Magistrates told the 56-year-old, "if you are flying a drone you need to check local regulations."