Matthew Maurer: Lismore man sentenced for laser pointer

Police were driving through Lismore on Christmas Eve when a light shone from a window blinded their line of sight.

A Lismore man who shone a laser at police in an act of “serious” offending told the court he bought the weapon for his cat.

Matthew Maurer, 51, was sentenced in Lismore Local Court on Monday to two counts of assaulting a police officer in the execution of duty without causing actual bodily harm and possessing a prohibited weapon without permit.

The court heard Maurer pointed a green laser outside his bedroom window at a car with shining lights on December 24 last year.

What Maurer didn’t know was that the vehicle in question belonged to police.

Solicitor Tenika Vakauta said the offending was “momentary and impulsive” and that the former scaffolder had been deeply ashamed of the act.

She said Maurer had a previously spotless record.

Maurer had bought the laser from a Lismore market as a “novelty” to play with his cat, the court heard.

“It was used in a context to play with his pets in a benign sort of way,” Ms Vakauta said.

Still Magistrate Jeff Linden said it was “ quite a serious” matter to come before the court.

He said police were struck in the eyes a number of times which impaired their ability to drive.

Magistrate Linden convicted Maurer on all charges and sentenced him to a 12 month Community Corrections Order.