VIDEO: A Latchford man has been jailed after shining a laser beam at a police helicopter searching for a missing person in Warrington.
David Warren, 41, of Eagle Mount, Latchford, appeared at Warrington Magistrates’ Court on Thursday 26 September where he was sentenced to 35 weeks.
This includes 12 weeks for shining a laser beam towards an aircraft, and also the activation of a 23-week suspended sentence for threatening a person with a weapon, which was originally handed to him on Tuesday 20 August, one week before he committed the second offence.
At around 1.30am on Tuesday 27 August, police were called to concerns for the welfare of a man in Warrington who was missing.
Officers began conducting enquiries in a bid to locate him and NPAS (National Police Air Service) was deployed above the Latchford/Stockton Heath area to assist the search.
Shortly before 3.15am, an officer on board the helicopter stated over the police radio that someone was shining a green laser out of the window of a property, aiming it at them.
Jailed- David Warren
Officers were able to trace where the laser was coming from. Warren was located at the property and refused to allow officers into the address.
Officers forced entry to the address, and he was subsequently arrested. A green laser was found at the property and was seized.
In interview Warren admitted the offence, saying he was using the laser to point out the helicopter in the sky while recording it on his phone.
He was subsequently charged with shining a laser beam towards an aircraft and pleaded guilty.
Sergeant Michael Hayes of Cheshire Police said: “While the person the police helicopter was searching for during this incident was ultimately located, shining the laser beam it its direction was incredibly dangerous, and could have seriously hindered their efforts to locate someone in need of help.
“The sentence handed to Warren should serve as a reminder of how serious this offence is considered.
“I hope it also reminds people of the risks associated with lasers, which some people may think of as a harmless device. This is far from the case and can have very serious consequences.”
