Laser pen pair are locked up

TWO men who shone a laser pen into the cockpit of a police helicopter during a search for a missing person have been jailed.

Father-of-six Martin Jayes, 46, and his neighbour Oktawian Plaskiewicz, 22, targeted the helicopter circling over Western Park, Leicester, on March 9.

The pilot was forced to take evasive action and call off the search, with Judge Adrienne Lucking QC telling the men such actions cause “life-threatening danger” to both the crew and the public.

The men, both of Bateman Road, New Parks, Leicester, were arrested and pled guilty to recklessly or negligently endangering the safety of an aircraft and those travelling within it, at a previous hearing.

Judge Lucking jailed Jayes, who had 71 previous offences on his criminal record, for eight months, and Plaskiewicz for six months.