We had the chance to throw the book at these idiots who think it is funny to point lasers at planes. I was hit with one in 2009 and due to good fortune the person was caught. The police were very, very keen to make an example of him.
Due to some expensive lawyers the end result, despite being found guilty, was no conviction and (from memory) an $800 fine. The crazy thing was this guy was a student pilot and CASA couldn't care less about what had happened. After the incident he continued training.
What didn't make the papers was the guy was a student pilot at my flying school - he had in fact 'lasered' one of the flying instructors! The final frustration was the flying school didn't have the balls to kick him out either - they simply moved him to a 'different' part of the organisation.
Every couple of weeks I hear on Centre or Approach about laser incidents. It still angers me to this day nothing was done about it when there was an ideal opportunity to send out of a message that laser attacks are unacceptable.