Father faced £540k fine for ‘shining laser pen at jets’

A BRITISH holidaymaker was threatened with a £540,000 fine after Spanish police accused him of shining a laser at planes.

Edward Napp, 46, and his children were spotted by an offduty officer shining a laser pen from their hotel balcony in Torremolinos, near Malaga.

Police said he could face fines of up to £540,000 after several pilots complained they were disturbed by green rays as they came in to land.

But yesterday Mr Napp insisted: ‘We weren’t pointing them at planes.’ The businessman added: ‘It just seems like it’s been blown out of all proportion. We were about five miles away from the

airport.’ Three pilots preparing to land at Malaga Airport just before midnight last Tuesday complained of being targeted with lasers.

Air traffic controllers tweeted: ‘Third plane arriving at Malaga which has complained tonight of having laser lights shone at it as they prepared to land.’

Mr Napp said police took him to the station with his two sons, aged 11 and 15, after an off-duty officer took photos of them.

He believes the matter has come to an end. They were released without arrest and have returned to their home near Chelmsford, Essex.

‘Blown out of all proportion’