Guernsey Press

Prison’s drone detection system is all jammed up

THE prison’s much-vaunted drone defence system cannot be used fully yet, governor David Matthews has admitted.

Published
Prison governor Dave Matthews alongside part of the Sky Fence technology. (Picture by Peter Frankland, 20246985)

Presently only half of the system, which attracted national media attention as a world-first when it was installed, is operational, the other part waiting while the UK Government extends the law.

Drones can be detected, but not prevented from flying over the fence.

Drone Defence, the manufacturers of Sky Fence alongside Eclipse Digital Solutions, said a fully-installed product at a prison the size of Les Nicolles would cost between £200,000 and £250,000.

‘It is fitted and tested and working perfectly well, but we can’t legally use the Sky Fence because it’s a jammer and it’s interfering with communications,’ said Mr Matthews.

‘We’re still waiting on the Ministry of Justice to extend the law to use Sky Fence, which is the Prisons Act of 2012 which allows prison governors to interfere with wireless communications.’

Full story in today's Guernsey Press