Insp Steve Cheeseman said:
"The sentence handed out sends a clear warning to anyone else considering such reckless behaviour."
Yeah, the message that they can shine lasers at aircraft and they won't go to prison.
The right message was sent out last year.
Maybe the Staines magistrates court didn't get it.
Legalapproach
Prison sentence upheld for l@zer louts
Some of you may recall a recent thread concerning two oafs who had targeted a l@zer pen at a police helicopter. They came before HH Judge Owen at Snaresbrook Crown Court who sentenced them to six months custody.
The Court of Appeal recently considered their appeals and dismissed them observing that in the view of their Lordships the case clearly crossed the custody threshold and such a case could not be dealt with by any lesser penalty.
The court further observed that His Honour Judge Owen "plainly took a great deal of care over this case." In passing sentence the learned judge said the message should go out that people who target helicopters in this idiotic and dangerous way should expect to receive custodial sentences.
"Few cases of this sort come before the court, in part because it is often difficult to apprehend those on the ground. In our judgment the learned judge was right to make it clear that custodial sentences will usually follow when offenders committing this offence are caught."
So the highest court in Britain says the Judge was right to send them to prison for shining a laser at a police helicopter and right to make it clear that custodial sentences will usually follow yet a magistrates court, the lowest type of court in Britain, goes its own way and gives a suspended sentence.
Question for police pilots here -
Does anyone make sure other courts know what the Court of Appeal said?
Does anyone make sure the prosecutor knows what the Court of Appeal said so he can tell the court?