Man Arrested for Endangering Aircraft with Laser Pen
A 41-year-old man has been taken into custody on suspicion of recklessly endangering an aircraft after the National Police Air Service (NPAS) reported being persistently targeted by a person using a laser pen during a search operation.
Expressing disappointment, the NPAS took to Twitter to address the issue. The arrested individual, a resident of Ravenhill in Swansea, is currently in police custody.
South Wales Police received a report from the NPAS just before 01:00 BST on Friday morning, informing them of a laser being directed at their aircraft. It is a criminal offense to shine a laser at an aircraft, vehicle, or ship, carrying the risk of imprisonment.
The reason behind the illegality lies in the potential for the laser beam to distract pilots or drivers, leading to accidents. Even a weak beam can cause problems, as it can obstruct the windscreen, create glares, induce temporary flash blindness, and result in afterimages for the pilot.
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In a similar incident back in 2015, a Cardiff man was sentenced to six months in jail for aiming a laser beam at three passenger planes and a police helicopter. Liam Chadwick, aged 28, pleaded guilty to four counts of recklessly endangering aircraft at Cardiff Crown Court. One of the aircraft departing from Bristol Airport reported a green beam during take-off on August 1, 2015. Following the report, a police helicopter was dispatched to locate the source of the laser, eventually tracing it back to a top-floor flat in eastern Cardiff.
Chadwick’s defense barrister claimed that he was unaware of the consequences of his actions.