Dealer shone laser beam at search crew
A DRUG dealer shone a laser beam at a police helicopter which was searching for a missing person – endangering the lives of the crew and the public.
Narcis Pascu used the device from the Swansea home where he lived with his parents and siblings, shining it in the direction of a helicopter which was being used as part of a search for a missing vulnerable person on November 5 last year.
When police went to his property weeks later they discovered evidence of drug dealing, including cannabis, cocaine and MDMA.
Swansea Crown Court was told the police helicopter, containing a pilot and two other officers, had been deployed above the city shortly after midnight on November 5 last year.
Prosecutor Dyfed Thomas said: “The captain said without warning a greencoloured beam came into the cockpit and he was aware of the potential to dazzle and distract and this was particularly dangerous as a pilot of an aircraft over a residential area.
“It hindered the search and officers had concerns for themselves and other users.
“They were able to identify the premises and asked officers to attend.
“Officers did attend and the defendant admitted to pointing a laser and said he had just purchased it and was testing it and did not know it was an offence to point it at an aircraft and did not think the laser would reach the aircraft.”
Weeks later police attended Pascu’s address in Burman Street, Mount Pleasant, a second time, armed with a search warrant.
On that occasion, they discovered a quantity of drugs, scales and two gas air pistols.
Pascu also handed over a mobile phone which revealed photos of drugs for sale and ‘advertisements’ and messages relating to the supply of drugs.
Mitigating, Dan Griffiths told the court Pascu, now aged 21, was of hitherto clean character and was “in the main” operating with the sale of cannabis.
He added: “The defendant was extremely stupid and reckless in the extreme. When spoken to under caution he made full and frank admissions and expressed the appropriate level of remorse.
“His cocaine use was primarily on the weekends and on occasions had tried to recoup money by the supply of quantities of drugs to his friends.
“He had sold MDMA on behalf of an associate. His supply of Class A drugs was very limited.”
Pascu pleaded guilty to being concerned with the supply of cocaine, the supply of MDMA, possession of cannabis and being concerned with the supply of cannabis. He also admitted shining a laser beam at an aircraft. He was sent to a young offenders’ institution for a total of 25 months.
Judge Huw Rees said: “The incident [with the laser beam] was bordering on childish if not foolish.
“Such behaviour not only endangers lives of the helicopter crew but also the residents in an urban built-up area and on another occasion would have had potentially catastrophic consequences.”