Man arrested over laser incident - Colyton

[Mick M]

And so the stupidity continues...... At 29 you'd have thought you might have grown up, but clearly not the case here. Another mentally challenged giant in our midst. I wonder how many of these simpletons actually claim to be interested in aircraft. Hopefully some quality time with a cell mate called Bubba might fix these issues!

Man arrested over laser incident - Colyton
Sunday, 22 Jun 2008 05:45am


A man was arrested last night after a laser pointer was allegedly shone at a police helicopter in Colyton.

About 10:15pm the Polair crew were conducting routine patrols in the area when a green laser light was allegedly pointed at the aircraft.

The crew were able to identify the source of the laser and directed police units from St Marys Local Area Command to a residence in Carpenter Street, Colyton.

Police spoke to a 29-year-old man at the residence and seized a green laser pointer from inside the house.

The man was arrested and taken to Penrith Police Station where he was interviewed over the incident.

The man has since been released pending further inquiries.

[Grant Smith]

Yes, at 29 you would think your priorities would be more directed at starting a family, having kids, furthering career... Not shining little green lasers at Police aircraft...

[Greg McDonald]

Hopefully some quality time with a cell mate called Bubba might fix these issues!

Hahaha...I love it, Mick.

On a serious note though, if found guilty I hope they really throw the book at him and give him a custodial sentence of a length that will make others think twice about doing the same thing. However, given the sentences that are regularly passed down by the courts these days it wouldn't surprise me if he got a slap on the wrist and a free ride in the aforementioned police chopper.

[Grant Smith]

Here's some interesting posts from another forum I browse...

http://www.theaussieaviator.net/forum/viewtopic.php?f=14&t=7650&p=20616#p20616

[Robert Zweck]

There was another one here in Adelaide the other night............


QF785 SYD-ADL

They were able to get a reasonable idea of the suburb location...better than nothing.

Action to ban them will only get more serious when there is a resultant fatality

[James Herbert]

And so the stupidity continues...... At 29 you'd have thought you might have grown up, but clearly not the case here. Another mentally challenged giant in our midst. I wonder how many of these simpletons actually claim to be interested in aircraft. Hopefully some quality time with a cell mate called Bubba might fix these issues!

Sadly mate, the simple use of a little common sense seems to allude alot of people nowadays.

[Philip Argy]

UK man jailed for shining laser at chopper

By Europe correspondent Rafael Epstein (http://www.abc.net.au/profiles/content/s1888068.htm?site=news)



A man in London has been jailed for four months for shining a laser at a police helicopter.
The court heard the police pilot was forced to make an emergency manoeuvre after an unemployed 21-year-old from Manchester shone a green laser light at the helicopter cockpit.
The pilot said he was dazzled by the light which was repeatedly aimed at him, and he could not see his flight instruments.
Police say the helicopter could have crashed if it were not for the pilot's skill in keeping control of the aircraft.
The man pleaded guilty and was given a four-month sentence, with the judge saying his actions could have had deadly consequences, so his sentence would serve as a deterrent to others.

[Grant Smith]

Does anyone out there have any further info regarding this case - my spidey senses tell me that this will be a litmus test for future offences and as such I would be interested to hear of any progress...

[Greg McDonald]

The first prosecution for using green lasers against aircraft has just concluded with the perpetrator getting a $1500 fine and a 12 month good behaviour bond. Personally I was hoping for a lot more than that...

[Nigel C]

Greg, do you know if it was the Colyton perpetrator?

EDIT

Actually I just found it wasn't the Colyton incident.
www.news.com.au
Police laser attacker avoids jail
July 22, 2008 05:51pm

A SYDNEY man who shone a laser into the cockpit of a police helicopter has been placed on a good behaviour bond and faces six months in jail for any breach of the order.

Zakary Patrick Babet, 20, faced Hornsby Local Court today charged with one count of interfering with a crew member while in an aircraft.

Magistrate Leslie Brennan placed him on the 12-month good behaviour bond and also ordered him to pay a $1500 fine.

Babet, of Bella Vista, shone a green laser beam into the cockpit of the helicopter on June 18, while it was flying above the western Sydney suburb.

The chopper's crew, briefly disoriented from the beam, was able to pinpoint where it came from and swooped down, landing nearby and calling local police to make the arrest.

Tougher new laws were brought in this month governing the use of laser pointers in New South Wales.

Under the new laws, high-strength laser pointers are illegal without a prohibited weapons permit, while laser pointers of all strengths are banned from public places without a reasonable explanation.

[Gerard M]

A bit off topic but one night last week i was on a beach on the central coast fishing at night, when someone down the other end of the beach started shining one of those lasers. I must say being no more than 500m away it was extremely disorientating!!! they only gave it a couple of shines but never the less i can see how they can be soo dangerous!!

[Nigel C]

Personally I would have wrapped the rod around their neck for a stupid stunt like that.

Did you call the police?

[Gerard M]

Yea it was tempting, but by the time id reeled in and gone for my phone i saw them drive off so there wasn't much point cos i didn't get a rego or anything either...but i never realized exactly how powerful they were till then!!!!