Northern Ireland

Man jailed for six months for shining laser at PSNI helicopter

A judge has warned of the dangers of shining lasers at aircraft
A judge has warned of the dangers of shining lasers at aircraft A judge has warned of the dangers of shining lasers at aircraft

A JUDGE has warned of the potentially devastating dangers of disrupting pilots as he jailed a man for six months for shining a laser at a police helicopter.

Belfast Crown Court heard on Tuesday that the actions of Alan Armstrong (35) lit up the cockpit, leaving the pilot unable to see his instruments.

Judge Gordon Kerr said any actions which could have resulted in a crash in a heavily populated area warranted a prison sentence.

Armstrong, a father-of-three from Kinbayne Avenue in Greenisland, Co Antrim, admitted a charge of endangering the safety of an aircraft on September 19 last year.

He said he shone the green laser at the helicopter because it was flying over his house and "annoying him".

Prosecutor Simon Jenkins said the PSNI helicopter was dispatched on the evening in question to the Carrickfergus area in response to a stolen vehicle.

The pilot - with more than 3,000 hours flying experience - was in the aircraft along with two police officers.

Mr Jenkins said at around 10pm, whilst flying at around 2,500 feet, a green laser was shone directly at the helicopter which "illuminated the cabin, and caused the pilot to take an evasive manoeuvre in order to minimise the laser distraction".

The pilot alerted air traffic, as a civilian aircraft was also due to pass by overhead.

One of the officers on board also contacted police the ground, and the location the laser was being shone from was identified as Armstrong's address.

Mr Jenkins told the court he "deliberately shone a green laser directly towards the helicopter on at least five occasions, and on one of those occasions the laser was continuously aimed at the helicopter for around 30 seconds".

When Armstrong was arrested, officers searched his home and found a laser pointer.

The Co Antrim man later admitted he had shone the laser at the helicopter and accepted his actions were "the height of stupidity".

Defence barrister Richard McConkey told Judge Kerr that Armstrong shone the laser because "the helicopter was annoying him as it was flying over his house".

Acknowledging that this was "no excuse at all" for his client's actions, Mr McConkey said he was not trying to injure or harm anyone and was remorseful for what he had done.