The middle-aged man arrested over the Gatwick drone ‘attack’ has been described as a ‘hard working family man’ with ‘no silly opinions’ by neighbours.
Police arrested a couple after swooping on a new build house in Crawley, West Sussex, just three miles away from the airport.
Elaine Kirk, 54, and Paul Gait, 47, have been named locally as the middle-aged suspects police arrested, but their neighbours believe they have the wrong couple.
Neighbours said Paul and Elaine are a hard working couple who ‘graft six days a week’ and share a love of gadgets.
Bob Simpkin, 74, said: ‘Paul is what you could describe as an average person, a hard working builder.
‘I was shocked to hear what happened, I do believe the police have got the wrong people – this is totally out of character.
‘Last night I heard a lot of screaming and shouting, when I looked outside I saw a woman being led to a police van by a female copper.
‘The van was parked outside their house and I saw a woman led into the van.’
He added: ‘Elaine doesn’t seem the person to get involved in any trouble – she works a lot too from what I can tell.
‘Were they the couple who flew the drone at the airport? I don’t think so.
‘Their drone was just not big enough, it is only about a metre wide.
‘Paul is just not stupid enough to do that – I’ve got the feeling the police are wrong.
‘He is more into his model helicopters, I’ve seen him use them, but only around his property.’
Bob, now retired, is a fundraiser for military charity The Danny Gallivan Trust – but used to run his own carpentry company.
He said: ‘Paul is the kind of man I would have given a job if I was still running my company.’
He added: ‘Paul never came across as a nutter and he had no silly opinions.’
Another neighbour, who did not want to be named, said: ‘They don’t seem the type to do this, they’re down to earth.
‘He’s a builder and she works somewhere six days a week.
‘Paul likes his gadgets, he only ever used his drone in the street – you could hear all that buzzing sound.’
Another neighbour said: ‘Paul is a hard working family man, it is unbelievable.
‘These are just two lovely people that met dog walking and worked six days a week.
‘Police have been there since late last night.’
Two police vans and a car remain at their semi-detached house.
