A 49-year-old man who used a drone to film pupils at their primary school has received a fine rather than a prison sentence despite breaching a suspended sentence previously imposed for possession of indecent images of children. Jeremy Bird, from Salisbury, was initially handed a suspended sentence in April after police discovered explicit images on his electronic devices during an investigation.

However, Bird failed to attend two mandatory meetings with his probation officer in August. During a hearing at Salisbury Crown Court, Bird’s lawyer explained that he missed the appointments due to a trip to London with his partner, who suffers from mental health issues. The lawyer also noted that Bird took his mother swimming for her 79th birthday around that time.

Bird admitted to failing to comply with the conditions of his suspended sentence. Judge Jaron Crooknorth issued a £180 fine and scheduled a review of Bird’s probation attendance for January. The judge warned Bird that he was his own worst obstacle to compliance and stated this would be his final chance to meet his obligations under the sentence.