Man who blinded pilot with laser jailed

A MAN who shone a laser at a police helicopter has been jailed for six months.

Andrew Paul Holden, 47, pointed the laser at the cockpit of the National Police Air Service aircraft.

The pilot, who was carrying passengers at the time, said it was fortunate that lives were not lost.

Holden was arrested at his home in Radcliffe, Greater Manchester, following the incident in the early hours of October 13 last year.

He pleaded guilty to endangering an aircraft at Bolton Crown Court last Friday.

In a statement, the pilot, Captain Robert Grainger, said: “The consequences of targeting an aircraft can be horrendous. During this incident I had to ensure the safety of my passengers, the general public and myself, whilst being disorientated by the intense light.

“Luckily, this incident didn’t result in any injuries, but it could quite easily have ended in fatalities. Sadly, and frustratingly, this is not a one-off event. I hope the sentence handed down reflects the severity of such foolish and reckless actions and will serve as a deterrent to others.”

Tactical Flight Officer, Pc Andy Shaw, said: “As a result of one person’s stupid and selfish actions we had to stop our original tasking, meaning the valuable resource of the NPAS helicopter was taken away from supporting officers on the ground.

“Fortunately, on this occasion it didn’t greatly impact on the incident we were dealing with, but we could have been involved in an incident whereby someone’s life was in danger.

“The technology on board our helicopter means we are able to track individuals quite easily and, as this case shows, those involved in such activity will be caught and prosecuted.”