Interrupting a drone pilot. Is a criminal offence in breach of ANO 240 and 241.

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Here are the two air navigations orders. 240 and 241 see below.

Regulation 23 (see below) states that these orders ano 240 and 241, do not apply to unmanned aircraft. But reading section C its states “other than unmanned aircraft subject to certification”. A small drone under 250grams is certified as C0 - meaning it is certificated .

Cap 722 also refers to regulation 23 and its exemptions in section C

So someone who 'recklessly or negligently' distracts a drone operator in a way that subsequently endangers people or property IS guilty of a criminal offence.

Anyone whose actions result in damage to someone else's property, or to their person, can be required to pay compensation.
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Air navigation order (ANO) 2016 - 240, ‘A person must not recklessly or negligently act in a manner likely to endanger an aircraft, or any person in an aircraft’.

ANO 2016 article - 241, ‘no person may recklessly or negligently cause or permit an aircraft to endanger any person or property’.

23.— Exceptions from application of provisions of the Order for certain classes of aircraft
(1) This article applies to— (a) any small balloon;
(b) any kite weighing not more than 2kg;
[ (c) any unmanned aircraft other than an unmanned aircraft subject to certification; and ] 1 (d) any parachute including a parascending parachute.
(2) [ Subject to paragraphs (3) and (4) ] 2 , nothing in this Order applies to or in relation to an aircraft to which this article applies.
(3) [ Articles 2, 91, 92, 93, 94A, 94B, 94BA, 239, 241 and 257 ] 3 (except 257(2)(a)) apply to or in relation to an aircraft to which this article applies, and [ articles 253, 265, 266 and 269 apply ] 4 in relation to those articles.
[ (4) Articles 265A, 265B, 265C, 265D, 265E and 265F apply to or in relation to unmanned aircraft to which this article applies, and article 265(3) applies in relation to those articles. ]

CAP 722 Chapter 2 | Operational Guidance Operational Guidance
article does not apply to ‘small unmanned aircraft’ (see the exception in article 23 – ie. a small unmanned aircraft cannot be ‘endangered’), its requirements still apply to UAS operators and remote pilots.