A 60-year old man has been sentenced for shining a laser pointer at a plane while it was assisting police in Telford, Shropshire, UK. Reed Beers, a resident of the local area, pled guilty to the charge of dazzling or distracting a pilot and was subsequently handed a 12-month conditional discharge at Telford Magistrates’ Court on Friday.
A dangerous incident in Telford
On Tuesday March 10, a fixed-wing NPAS plane was sent from Nottingham to assist ground officers in Telford who were responding to reports of a man with a firearm on Mossey Green Way. This investigation was linked to a road rage incident that had happened in the area earlier in the day.
The plane spent just under an hour circling the vicinity while officers searched the ground for the suspect. However, at 7:52 p.m., the pilot reported that a green laser was being pointed at the aircraft from a nearby residential area. The crew were eventually able to pinpoint the laser beam’s source more specifically, leading police to attend an address on Old Office Road, Dawley.
Upon answering the door, Beers was promptly arrested after confirming he was alone at the address. He was then detained and interviewed by detectives.
In custody, he claimed that he had been shining a red laser fitted to his air rifle at a drone while trying to take a photograph with his camera, and denied owning a green laser. He also stated that he had checked the Flight Radar App prior to this and believed that no aircraft were in the vicinity at the time, making him mistakenly think that it was safe to point the laser skywards.
However, a further search of his property uncovered two green laser pointers. Police also found that no photographs had been taken on Beers’ camera that night, although he asserted that this was due to being unable to focus correctly while trying to photograph the drone. He was then charged the following day.
Facing the consequences
Detective Inspector, Paul Drury, warned that the consequences of Reed Beers’ actions could have been “truly serious”:
“Shining a laser at any aircraft is inherently dangerous but doing so while it is supporting officers during an active incident places both the crew and the public at even greater risk,” he added in a statement.
“Today’s sentencing reflects the gravity of his actions and I hope it sends a clear message that endangering an aircraft will be met with firm and decisive justice.”
Alongside the 12-month conditional discharge, Telford Magistrates’ court also ordered Beers to forfeit the laser pen. It has not yet been confirmed publicly whether the motive of the crime is known to authorities.
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