Northampton man lands six-month suspended sentence after laser shone at police search helicopter over town

A man was hit with a six-month suspended jail sentence and told to do 250 hours unpaid work for targeting a police helicopter pilot with a laser pointer.

Northampton magistrates ruled Sergejs Puzanovskis, aged 49, acted “recklessly or negligently” after a National Police Air Service reported a laser beam being pointed at one of their aircrafts while it was engaged in a search for a missing person over the town centre on September 15 last year.

Puzanovskis, of Chiltern Way, Northampton, denied endangering the safety of an aircraft at a hearing in February but was found guilty and sentenced on Tuesday (March 29).

The Civil Aviation Authority warns laser pointers or pens can dazzle pilots and affect their eyesight.

A Northamptonshire Police spokesperson added: “Shining a laser pen at an aircraft is both reckless and dangerous, and this incident could have had catastrophic consequences.

"Puzanovskis’ actions not only endangered the lives of those inside the helicopter but also the people on the ground.”

The CAA revealed a co-pilot had to take control of one UK airliner after his captain was affected and later grounded.

A spokesperson said: “In one incident, a UK airliner was targeted by a green laser during its approach to land. While the aircraft landed safely, the laser temporarily impaired the vision of one of the pilots who had to hand control over to the co-pilot.

"On the ground, the pilot was deemed unfit to fly until they recovered normal vision.

"This is of great concern to single pilot operations such as emergency helicopter flights where there is no other crew member to deal with the distraction or potential incapacitation of a pilot.

"If you see someone shining a laser at an aircraft, contact your local police.”

Offenders can face unlimited fines and up to five years in prison for endangering an aircraft.

In addition to the jail term, suspended for 18 months, and 12-month community service order, Puzanovskis was ordered to pay for £768 in victim surcharge and prosecution costs and banned from having laser pointers in the future.