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Clueless
Clueless! Calls for inquiry into police probe on Gatwick drone chaos as ‘scapegoat’ couple arrested are released without charge and officers admit there may not have been a drone at all
Police have today been slammed for their 'appalling investigation' into the Gatwick chaos after they held a married couple for nearly two days without charge before admitting 'there may never have been a drone.'
Paul and Elaine Kirk-Gait returned to their home in Crawley, West Sussex this morning after spending more than 36 hours being questioned by detectives over the device that brought Gatwick Airport to a standstill.
As the culprit remains at large four days after the attack which grounded more than 1,000 flights and 140,000 passengers, police have been accused of failing to interview colleagues who could have vouched for the couple's whereabouts.
Detectives hunting the Gatwick Airport drone operator insist they are 'not back to square one.'
As Sussex Police this afternoon confirmed they have found a 'damaged drone' close to Gatwick, Detective Chief Superintendent Jason Tingley said there was 'no available footage and they are relying on witness accounts.'
This comes despite witnesses providing MailOnline with video footage of drones hovering above the airspace last week.
But a source said last night the drone could be ‘a red herring’ and may have been there for some time.
Det Ch Supt Tingley said the arrests made on Friday night were as a result of a tip-off from a member of the public.
'Obviously we had to be sure prior to release, in terms of that investigation, they were no longer suspects. I won't apologise, but what I will say is we really do appreciate their co-operation and we have put a lot of effort and resources into supporting them when they were released from questioning.'
Gemma Allard, who had an eight-year relationship with Mr Gait and is the mother of his 15-year-old son, said the Gaits may be holding a press conference tomorrow.
Gemma, 40, and her father John run Allard Double Glazing in Crowborough, where Paul works. John Allard slammed Sussex Police for an 'appalling' investigation where they 'ailed to even consult him.'
He said he could account for Mr Gait's movements over the last week and could have provided police with a clear alibi 'if they had only asked.'
The 68-year-old claims he was forced to contact police himself but was unable to get through to anybody as he tried to clear Mr Gait's name. He said 'no police officers bothered to call him back.'
'All it would have taken was for them to call me and contact me as his employer and I could have confirmed [his movements].
'Although there was a complete lack of evidence, the police ripped his house apart. He refers to me as a second father and he always comes to me if there are any problems in his life. I know this will mentally destroy him.
'Paul Gait doesn't own a drone. The drone he had he sold back in mid-summer. It was only a silly little one - anyone could have gone and bought in Hamleys.
https://www.msn.com/en-gb/news/uknews/clueless-calls-for-inquiry-into-police-probe-on-gatwick-drone-chaos-as-‘scapegoat’-couple-arrested-are-released-without-charge-and-officers-admit-there-may-not-have-been-a-drone-at-all/ar-BBRmOGr?ocid=spartandhp#image=5
https://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-6525559/Clueless-Calls-inquiry-police-probe-Gatwick-drone-chaos.html
Police have today been slammed for their 'appalling investigation' into the Gatwick chaos after they held a married couple for nearly two days without charge before admitting 'there may never have been a drone.'
Paul and Elaine Kirk-Gait returned to their home in Crawley, West Sussex this morning after spending more than 36 hours being questioned by detectives over the device that brought Gatwick Airport to a standstill.
As the culprit remains at large four days after the attack which grounded more than 1,000 flights and 140,000 passengers, police have been accused of failing to interview colleagues who could have vouched for the couple's whereabouts.
Detectives hunting the Gatwick Airport drone operator insist they are 'not back to square one.'
As Sussex Police this afternoon confirmed they have found a 'damaged drone' close to Gatwick, Detective Chief Superintendent Jason Tingley said there was 'no available footage and they are relying on witness accounts.'
This comes despite witnesses providing MailOnline with video footage of drones hovering above the airspace last week.
But a source said last night the drone could be ‘a red herring’ and may have been there for some time.
Det Ch Supt Tingley said the arrests made on Friday night were as a result of a tip-off from a member of the public.
'Obviously we had to be sure prior to release, in terms of that investigation, they were no longer suspects. I won't apologise, but what I will say is we really do appreciate their co-operation and we have put a lot of effort and resources into supporting them when they were released from questioning.'
Gemma Allard, who had an eight-year relationship with Mr Gait and is the mother of his 15-year-old son, said the Gaits may be holding a press conference tomorrow.
Gemma, 40, and her father John run Allard Double Glazing in Crowborough, where Paul works. John Allard slammed Sussex Police for an 'appalling' investigation where they 'ailed to even consult him.'
He said he could account for Mr Gait's movements over the last week and could have provided police with a clear alibi 'if they had only asked.'
The 68-year-old claims he was forced to contact police himself but was unable to get through to anybody as he tried to clear Mr Gait's name. He said 'no police officers bothered to call him back.'
'All it would have taken was for them to call me and contact me as his employer and I could have confirmed [his movements].
'Although there was a complete lack of evidence, the police ripped his house apart. He refers to me as a second father and he always comes to me if there are any problems in his life. I know this will mentally destroy him.
'Paul Gait doesn't own a drone. The drone he had he sold back in mid-summer. It was only a silly little one - anyone could have gone and bought in Hamleys.
https://www.msn.com/en-gb/news/uknews/clueless-calls-for-inquiry-into-police-probe-on-gatwick-drone-chaos-as-‘scapegoat’-couple-arrested-are-released-without-charge-and-officers-admit-there-may-not-have-been-a-drone-at-all/ar-BBRmOGr?ocid=spartandhp#image=5
https://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-6525559/Clueless-Calls-inquiry-police-probe-Gatwick-drone-chaos.html
Comments
^^^^^
Good post, @HAYSIE.
It's a fascinating story on so many levels.
The Mails headline on Sunday asked if these were the morons responsible, with no hint of an apology today.
Yes, I saw yesterday's front page.......
So I looked today to see if they apologised on the front page. Nope. They lashed out at the police, & everyone else, but no front page apology.
Even Piers Morgan, who was equally scathing about the innocent couple, managed a proper apology.
Drone sightings which shut down Gatwick airport for 36 hours may have been reports of Sussex Police's aircraft, the force's Chief Constable has admitted.
Last week, the force conceded there may have never been a drone in the air, insisting officers were "working with human beings".
Mr York told Today: "Of course, we will have launched our own Sussex Police drones at the time with a view to investigate, with a view to engage, with a view to survey the area looking for the drone, so there could be some level of confusion there."
https://www.msn.com/en-gb/news/world/gatwick-drone-sightings-may-have-been-of-police-equipment-chief-constable-admits/ar-BBRyLdO?ocid=spartandhp
One of the hawks which keeps Heathrow's airspace free of birds was cruelly stolen by a gang this week and his owner fears he may only have days to live.
Six-year-old Harris hawk Milo was safely in his box on the back seat of his owner's Citroen Berlingo when she parked it outside the Mercure Hotel at the airport on Tuesday evening.
But just 30 minutes after Layla Bennett, 34, checked in to the hotel she returned to get Milo and was horrified to discover her window smashed and her beloved bird gone.
She is now offering £1,000 for his safe return.
The bizarre theft took place at 5.50pm on January 29. Hotel CCTV shows three men arriving in a silver Mercedes C-Class and smashing the Berlingo's passenger-side window, before unlocking the door from the inside and attempting to empty the van of its contents.
Ms Bennett, from Powys, Wales, told The Sun: 'I believe they were looking for tools, which I didn't have, but instead found Milo in the back.
'One of them tried to get him out by using the falconry glove I had in the back, but he wouldn't come with them at first.
'He eventually did when they grabbed him forcefully, he was flapping and very distressed.
'Then they threw him into the car and drove off with him out of his box, loose.'
She said she fears her Harris hawk may have only days to live if not cared for properly, not least because he has always refused to take food from strangers.
She explained: 'I've had Milo since he hatched. He was bred to do the job he does.
'All I want is them to bring Milo back before it's too late.
https://www.msn.com/en-gb/news/uknews/six-year-old-harris-hawk-who-guards-heathrows-airspace-stolen-by-smash-and-grab-thieves-using-a-falconry-glove-and-distraught-owner-fears-her-bird-now-has-just-days-to-live/ar-BBT4koL?ocid=spartandhp