this muppet was picked up a year or two ago because he targeted the police helicopter from his own back garden.
I was blinded by l@ser, helicopter pilot tells court - Herald.ie
i'm pretty sure he got off with a slap on the wrist after his "sorry, i really didn't know it was bothering people" defence.
He got off, but only because he was charged under the "Non fatal offences against the person Act." There was no specific laser legislation. This law is for assault cases but was the only one they could use at the time. It is very difficult to prove the intent to injure the
individual from 1,000ft away.
There is now a new law since July 2014 to cover these offences in Ireland.
http://www.irishstatutebook.ie/pdf/2....2014.0027.pdf.
The Act was to provide for the separation of the main state airports in Ireland (Dublin, Cork, Shannon) and enable the necessary management structures. However they squeezed in this law regarding laser targeting of individuals. The law no longer requires the
intent to injure, but merely that it dazzles, distracts or confuses the victim.
Section 44 states:
Prohibition on dazzling aircraft
44. (1) A person who deliberately or recklessly directs or shines a light at or in the direction of—
(a) a pilot or co-pilot of an aircraft,
(b) a person involved in the operation of the flight of an aircraft, or
(c) a person carrying out air traffic control services, so that the light may dazzle, distract or confuse the pilot or person in the performance of his or her duties commits an offence.
(2) A person who commits an offence under this section is liable—
(a) on summary conviction to a class A fine or to imprisonment for a term not exceeding 6 months or to both, or
(b) on conviction on indictment—
(i) where the person is an individual – to a fine not exceeding €50,000, or to
imprisonment for a term not exceeding 5 years or to both, or
(ii) where the person is a body corporate – to a fine not exceeding €250,000.
edit:
Anybody know why I cannot type the word laser without the @ symbol being inserted automatically?