A man has been jailed after shining a laser at a police helicopter over Wiltshire.
Officers were searching for a high-risk missing person in Trowbridge on 19 March this year, when the National Police Air Service aircraft was targeted.
The incident happened shortly after 1am, with a green laser beam hitting the chopper – causing the pilot to abandon their urgent operation.
The powerful light was shone at the helicopter multiple times, coming into the cockpit, and dazzling and distracting the pilot.
The laser prevented him from reading his instruments and forced him to halt searching for a vulnerable person who needed their help.
The pilot was able to locate the property and when officers arrived, the occupant Nicholas Mutter allowed them into the address – where a laser pen was found.
The 41-year-old was arrested and later charged, pleading guilty to shining a laser beam towards an aircraft at Salisbury Crown Court.
On Monday (29 July), the defendant, of Swift Drive, Trowbridge, was jailed for eight months.
Investigating officer PS Evangeline Templar said: “Mutter’s actions were incredibly reckless and dangerous, putting not only the life of the crew at risk but also the general public.
“The pilot at the time was tasked with helping to search for a high-risk missing person, where there may be a concern for the missing person’s life.
“Mutter’s irresponsible actions forced the pilot to call off his mission, therefore also potentially putting at risk the life of the person the crew was tasked with trying to find.
“I am pleased that Mutter was able to be swiftly arrested and sentenced.
“We take this kind of behaviour incredibly seriously and won’t hesitate to ensure culprits face justice for it.”
Captain Paul Watts, Head of Flight Operations at NPAS, said: “The danger caused by lasers, not only to our air crew but also to the public, cannot be stressed enough.
“Anything that distracts a pilot, whilst airborne, is a huge risk to safety.
“Our sophisticated camera and mapping systems on board all our aircraft allow us to pinpoint exactly where a laser is coming from and we will report this to local police.
“We will always pursue prosecution through the courts. Anyone foolhardy or reckless enough to consider shining a laser at an air crew should expect to face court, and potentially a prison sentence.”
