A MAN who endangered the lives of a police helicopter pilot and crew when he shone a laser pen at the aircraft has been jailed for four months.

William John Sproat, aged 23, blinded the pilot, meaning he had to take emergency action to avoid crashing when flying at 1000ft.

Halton Magistrates Court heard last Wednesday how it also meant the operation the helicopter had been sent on was aborted.

Technology onboard meant the beam of the laser pen was tracked to Sproat's first floor flat on Morgan Avenue, Orford, where the defendant was shining it out of a window.

District Judge Bridget Knight slammed Sproat and said: "The pen filled the cockpit with a green light.

"The light disorientated (the captain)and forced him to divert the helicopter.

"This was a man fighting for his life and that of crew members.

"You caused that.

"I would be failing my public duty not to send you to prison.

"Oddly, the maximum sentence is six months for such a dangerous act.

"I have to give you credit for your prompt guilty plea, which is a third off.

"You consider yourself lucky.

"It could have been so much worse.

"Anyone out there tempted to use a laser pen on a pilot can expect to go straight to prison."

The incident happened at 9.30pm on Saturday, October 25.

Unemployed Sproat, who has nine previous convictions for 14 offences, pleaded guilty to shining a light at an aircraft to dazzle or distract the pilot.

Simon Dunne, defending, said Sproat had not realised the consequences of his 'stupid actions' as he is dyslexic and did not understand a warning label on the laser pen.

He bought it on the internet for £20.

"That is not an excuse for his behaviour," said Mr Dunne.

"He was unaware of the strength of the light.

"He shone it towards the helicopter and didn't realise it would go that far.

"The reality is he could have caused serious injury or death.

"That has not fallen on deaf ears."

Following the court case, Captain Scott Broom who was pilot on the night, said: "Aiming a laser beam at any type of aircraft is a serious offence.

"The consequences could be disastrous.

"With the technology the helicopter carries we can locate the source of any point of light instantly.

"So anyone who is misguided enough to try this sort of thing should think again." 

PC Andy Shaw, from the National Police Air Service, said: "When the cockpit is flooded with green light, we can′t see properly and the pilot can′t operate the helicopter safely.

"We had to move away from the light and weren′t able to carry on with the original assignment."