Man caught shining laser pointer at police helicopter from Craigieburn backyard
A Craigieburn man who aimed a laser beam at a police helicopter after having “a few wines” had no intention of causing harm, but his “idiotic” action momentarily blinded the pilot. Luckily, it didn’t stop them from making a quick arrest.
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A man who had a “few wines” and aimed a powerful laser beam at a police helicopter from a Craigieburn backyard has escaped with a fine.
Paul Bridges, 52, was caught in the act by the pilot who turned the chopper’s CCTV cameras on him and alerted police on the ground.
Broadmeadows Magistrates’ Court heard officers knocked on the door 45 minutes later and arrested Bridges for interfering with the aircraft.
Police prosecutor First Constable Abdul Fakhouri told the court the helicopter and its five occupants were on a night patrol over Melbourne’s north on April 17 this year when they were hit by the laser beam.
First Constable Fakhouri said the laser was pointed into the cabin and momentarily “obstructed” the pilot.
First Constable Fakhouri told the court the helicopter’s CCTV cameras captured the incident and located Bridges in the backyard of a Craigieburn property, where police arrived at 11pm to seize the laser and arrest Bridges.
Bridges pleaded guilty to shining the laser when he faced court on October 4.
He told magistrate Martin Grinberg he had been drinking wine at the time of the incident.
“There’s no way in the world I would have tried to put anyone in danger,” he said.
Mr Grinberg blasted the behaviour as “idiotic (and) unacceptable”.
“It beggars belief this kind of stuff,” he said.
“It’s idiotic behaviour by a mature man … (who) just should know better.
“Aircraft are particularly vulnerable — they can’t just land anywhere.
“The stupidity of this behaviour is screaming out that there was some kind of alcohol involved.”
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Bridges’ defence lawyer told the court his client hadn’t been sleeping well since the incident.
He said Bridges was remorseful, had pleaded guilty at the earliest opportunity and had no intention to commit an offence.
Mr Grinberg convicted Bridges and handed him a $1200 fine.
He was facing a maximum two years’ jail under the Civil Aviation Act.
A similar incident in Geelong in 2014 saw two men fined $500 each after they said they were using the laser to check out possums in trees and star gaze.
Another man was jailed for two months for targeting a police helicopter over a 15-minute period from a Belmont property in January this year.
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