Man who blinded a pilot at HMS Daedalus with a laser avoids prison (From Daily Echo)
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Man who blinded a pilot at HMS Daedalus with a laser avoids prison
11:39am Monday 22nd December 2008 in
-
- By Jon Reeve » Education Reporter
A HAMPSHIRE man who blinded a police plane pilot as he attempted to take off has today been spared an immediate prison term.
David Williams shone a laser pen into the cockpit of the force's spotter plane as it left Daedalus airfield in Lee-on-the-Solent.
The pilot was temporarily left unable to see by the bright beam aimed at his eyes, and had to climb rapidly after leaving the ground, at around 11pm on June 5.
Officers in the aircraft were able to use its infra-red cameras to find the source of the laser, and alerted colleagues on the ground.
Williams, 20, of Cuckoo Lane, Stubbington, was arrested in a nearby park, and later charged with the offence of endangering an aircraft, under the provisions of the Air Navigation Order 2005.
He is the first person in Hampshire ever to face such a charge.
Today, Judge Richard Price told Williams, who later admitted the offence, his actions could have killed someone.
In mitigation Williams said he had only been messing around with friends and simply hadn't appreciated the dangers of what he was doing.
Sentencing him at Portsmouth Crown Court to six months in prison, suspended for a year, Judge Price said: "The consequences could have been potentially catastrophic."
However, he decided not to immediately jail Williams because he hadn't realised the damage he could have done.
"The courts of this country are not in the habit and I hope never will be in the habit of sending young men to prison for doing something stupid but devoid of malice or any intention to do harm," said Judge Price.
Comments(13)
Northamboy
says...
11:53am Mon 22 Dec 08
He shone a laser at a pilot for gods sake! did he not know what a laser was because if he didn't why did he point it in the first place?
Beggers belief it really does
Miles Sway
says...
1:04pm Mon 22 Dec 08
What if it'd been an Al Queda radical doing the same, would it have been the same sentence?
This judge should be ashamed of himself.
Finlay
says...
1:18pm Mon 22 Dec 08
...and probably the only person in the world to achieve it too.
A low powered off the shelf laser (probably a presentation pointer) hand held is focussed directly into a pilots eyes long enough to 'partially blind him' - Yeah right.
Where was he standing? On the nose of the aircraft as it hurtled along the runway? Maybe he is so physically rigid he could fix and fire at will from hundreds of yards away. I would like to see anyone achieve that feat.
Its not clever to obstruct any vehicle but this is a case where it is too outrageously fantastic to believe possible.
This is a theoretical fantasy that the dollops are using as a publicity stunt.
Ozmosis
says...
1:32pm Mon 22 Dec 08
Finlay wrote:Low powered pointers won't do this but there are loads about that will. There have been a number of cases were people have used laser pointers to distract pilots of planes and helicopters in the UK. I guess it's not so popular as a past-time across the pond.
He is the first person in Hampshire ever to face such a charge.
...and probably the only person in the world to achieve it too.
A low powered off the shelf laser (probably a presentation pointer) hand held is focussed directly into a pilots eyes long enough to 'partially blind him' - Yeah right.
Where was he standing? On the nose of the aircraft as it hurtled along the runway? Maybe he is so physically rigid he could fix and fire at will from hundreds of yards away. I would like to see anyone achieve that feat.
Its not clever to obstruct any vehicle but this is a case where it is too outrageously fantastic to believe possible.
This is a theoretical fantasy that the dollops are using as a publicity stunt.
Paramjit Bahia
says...
1:45pm Mon 22 Dec 08
Interfering with pilot concentration at landing or take off times isn't funny thing to do.
This man deserved to be locked up for a very long time.
jammyswine
says...
1:53pm Mon 22 Dec 08
Security Word tiny-pair...?!?
Tommy News
says...
1:54pm Mon 22 Dec 08
Mr BCB
says...
3:14pm Mon 22 Dec 08
fatboy
says...
3:14pm Mon 22 Dec 08
Tommy News wrote:With the police golden ticket also known as the 'Section 5 offence' the police could give you a criminal record for just disagreeing with the police!
The action was reckless. Thankfully nobody was hurt. Lets hope he learns his lesson now he has a criminal record.
S!mon
says...
3:36pm Mon 22 Dec 08
Ozmosis wrote:It sounds as if you're proud some idiots in this country do this kind of thing.
Finlay wrote: He is the first person in Hampshire ever to face such a charge. ...and probably the only person in the world to achieve it too. A low powered off the shelf laser (probably a presentation pointer) hand held is focussed directly into a pilots eyes long enough to 'partially blind him' - Yeah right. Where was he standing? On the nose of the aircraft as it hurtled along the runway? Maybe he is so physically rigid he could fix and fire at will from hundreds of yards away. I would like to see anyone achieve that feat. Its not clever to obstruct any vehicle but this is a case where it is too outrageously fantastic to believe possible. This is a theoretical fantasy that the dollops are using as a publicity stunt.Low powered pointers won't do this but there are loads about that will. There have been a number of cases were people have used laser pointers to distract pilots of planes and helicopters in the UK. I guess it's not so popular as a past-time across the pond.
"I guess it's no so popular as a past-time across the pond."
I bloody well hope it isn't a popular past-time in this country either.
Ozmosis
says...
4:22pm Mon 22 Dec 08
No, I despair of them. This bloke (and all the others) should get a good stretch inside as a deterrent.
Denzil'
says...
5:16pm Mon 22 Dec 08
timjim
says...
5:20pm Mon 22 Dec 08
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