TT visitor hit with £3K fine for flying drone during racing

23-year-old arrested in Sulby on Wednesday

An engineer from Dartford has been fined £3,000 after being caught flying a drone near the TT Course.

Alex Matthew Shrimpton, of Rayford Close, was arrested in Sulby yesterday (7 June) whilst racing was ongoing.

At Douglas Courthouse today (8 June) the 23-year-old admitted flying the unmanned aircraft, within 1000 metres of the course, without lawful authority or excuse.

The court heard race control, at The Grandstand, had been notified that a drone was being flown - in a field near Sulby Bridge at around 2.20pm.

Police attended the scene to arrest Shrimpton – claiming on social media that officers had ‘climbed through a river and barbed wire fencing’ in order to do so.

The prosecutor said the TT visitor was cooperative, and had handed over his mobile phone, adding that Shrimpton had told officers he didn’t know he wasn’t allowed to use the drone as there was no signage.

Suggesting he should have looked up the rules on the government website before coming to the Island he added: “Ignorance of the law is no excuse or any defence.”

Defending his client Shrimpton’s advocate replied: “How many people would go on holiday and look at the laws of the land for where they are going? It’s a preposterous suggestion.”

Adding that Shrimpton accepted he’d broken the law he said whilst the drone had been flown near to the course it hadn’t been flown over it.

Sentencing Shrimpton Magistrates told him he should have been more responsible adding: “Can you imagine the catastrophe that could have been caused?

“We have to send a very firm message that we want to have a safe TT.”

The fine, and prosecution costs of £125, must be paid before Shrimpton is released from custody – his drone, memory card and battery will also be destroyed.