Man shone laser at police helicopter

Am an has been jailed for putting lives in danger by shining a laser pen at a police helicopter.

David Gill, 50, shone the laser at a helicopter searching for a car which had failed to stop for officers on the ground.

Leeds Crown Court heard that Gill used the green laser repeatedly on the aircraft, forcing the crew to abandon their search.

The crew were able top inpoint the source of light, guiding West Yorkshire Police officers to the location where they arrested Gill, of Leeds, West Yorkshire, in the early hours of 9 March. Gill was convicted and sentenced to nine months in prison.

Recent figures reveal there were 50 laser attacks on police helicopter crews in 2018. Ian Vause, assistant operations director for the National Police Air S er vice, said: “Shining a laser at an aircraft can have catastrophic consequences.”