Gatwick Airport has offered a reward for information leading to the capture of those responsible for the drone attack. Photo / AP
Gatwick Airport has offered a reward for information leading to the capture of those responsible for the drone attack. Photo / AP
The couple arrested in connection with the drone attack at Gatwick airport have been released without charge.
The news came as Gatwick Airport offered a reward of £50,000 (NZ$94,000) for information leading to the capture of those responsible.
Paul Gait, 47, and his wife Elaine Kirk, 54, were detained on Friday night on suspicion of flying a drone above Britain's second busiest airport.
The couple were held for questioning for almost 36 hours, but sources told the Telegraph they had been released without charge.
Giving a statement on behalf of the couple, Gemma Allard said: "Paul Gait and Elaine Kirk have been released without charge and no further enquiries are pending.
"They have been in custody for over over 36 hours and we would ask that their privacy, and their family and friends', is respected at this time.
"No further comment will be made by the couple today and they are liaising with police regarding a press conference tomorrow but this is yet to be confirmed."
Friends, colleagues and family of Gait, who is a drone enthusiast, had insisted he could not be responsible for the incident as he had been at work throughout much of the disruption.
The couple's release means the hunt now continues for those responsible for the chaos at Gatwick, which wrecked the Christmas travel plans for hundreds of thousands of passengers.
Elaine Kirk and Paul Gait have been released without charge. Photo / Supplied
Sussex Police Detective Chief Superintendent Jason Tingley said: "Both people have fully co-operated with our enquiries and I am satisfied that they are no longer suspects in the drone incidents at Gatwick.
"It is important to remember that when people are arrested in an effort to make further enquiries it does not mean that they are guilty of an offence and Sussex Police would not seek to make their identity public.
"Our inquiry continues at a pace to locate those responsible for the drone incursions, and we continue to actively follow lines of investigation.
"We ask for the public's continued support by reporting anything suspicious, contacting us with any information in relation to the drone incidents at Gatwick."
Gatwick Airport Limited has offered a £50,000 (NZ$94,000) reward through Crimestoppers, for information leading to the arrest and conviction of those responsible for the criminal act that disrupted flights.
The first drone was spotted near the airport at around 9pm on Wednesday and there were a further 50 sightings reported the following day.
But Gait's boss insisted the father of two had been at work from early on the Thursday morning and had even worked late that night to finish a job.
John Allard, who runs Allard Double Glazing in Crowborough, where Gait has worked for 17-years, said: "Paul normally comes in around 7.45am and I remember on those days he then worked late on site on a fitting job. I don't think it can be him. He was busy on site working when it was happening."
The drone attack causes chaos at the airport, wrecking Christmas travel plans for hundreds of thousands of passengers. Photo / AP
The double glazing boss, who has run the firm for nearly 40 years, confirmed that Gait had previously flown drones, but said he did not believe he had ever run into problems with the law over his hobby.
"He is a reliable family man who has been with me for 17 years and has never given me any problems at all," he said. "He may have picked up the interest in model flying from me because I've been doing it for 40 years."
Allard added: "I also know Paul's wife Elaine and as far as I know she has no interest at all in drones or model flying."
It is understood police swooped on the couple's smart detached property in Crawley at around 10pm on Friday evening following a tip off.
Neighbours said Gait often flew drones above the street and also had a number of remote controlled helicopters.
One neighbour, who asked not to be named said: "Paul is very hard working, he usually leaves home around 7am every day and does not get back home until 6pm. He used to race remote control cars up and down the road and then got into drones.
In December 2016 he reviewed the world's fastest drone online, saying that the quality of the kit was "amazing".
One local resident described Gait as the "perfect neighbour".
He said: "When we first moved in, Paul and Elaine invited us over for her 50th birthday. They had two dogs, a Jack Russell and a pug. That's how they met. Through dog walking."
The neighbour said he was safety conscious about the dangers of drones and had refused to let a friend try it out.
"He was out in the street and someone wanted to have a go with the drone, and Paul said, 'be careful, this could be dangerous in the wrong hands, and could cause a lot of damage.'"
