playing devil's advocate, if he was "pardoned", wouldnt that throw some kind of a green light at other pilots (especially new ones) who would think there is some kind of flexibility in the law?
Could have been cleared up with a short but stern email to the pilot though no? No need to involve the media quite as heavily if you ask me.
The law isn't flexible but under the circumstances maybe the result was a bit harsh.
Just reading up on the guy, apparantly he's an excellent after-dinner speaker too, plenty of oportunities coming his way I'm sure.