A 22-year-old man from Greenfield, Flintshire was given a suspended sentence on January 9 2014 for aiming a laser in a “persistent and prolonged laser attack” on a North Wales Police helicopter.
On September 25 2013, the helicopter was called to find a missing person. The pilot was hovering at 1,200 feet over a densely populated area of Greenfield when a green laser beam targeted the aircraft. Over an eight-minute period, the aircraft was hit about ten times by the beam. The majority hit the outside of the helicopter though a video recording showed the interior illuminated for a couple of seconds.
While the helicopter maneuvered to avoid the laser, the missing-person search was not abandoned. No emergency or evasive action was taken, and the captain was in full control throughout the incident. However, the attack distracted the crew, caused distress and wasted search time and resources, according to the prosecutor.
The three-man crew identified the source location and directed ground officers to the home of Kevin Mark Griffiths. He pretended to be asleep and later produced the laser from a bedroom. He told police he had purchased the laser while on vacation in Spain.
Griffiths said it was a “foolish, impulsive and reckless action,” aiming at what he knew was a police helicopter.
At trial Griffiths admitted a charge of recklessly endangering an aircraft or persons inside. He was given a five-month prison sentence suspended for 12 months, ordered to do 200 hours of unpaid work, and was fined £165 in costs.

Laser pointer has already take an important role in our daily life, it does provide human beings much support in various areas. With the development of laser diode technology, more and more high-power laser pointers are developed and the price of them is becoming so competitive that all people if needed can afford one. And because of that, the misuse of laser pointer brings many incidents, which should be punished seriously.

The first laser pointer was created in the early 1980s, a red laser pointer in very large size and cost hundreds of dollars. At the first beginning, laser pointer was used for educational and business presentation and optical demonstrations as an eye-catching pointing device with maximum power of 1mW. At that time, no optical problem was reported. Then it came small size laser pointers which are able to be handheld, and other attractive colors.

It is no doubt the shining laser beam can capture ones’ attention, makes one have difficulty leaving eyes from it, and all people who get to it would fall in love with it at once. It does bring much benefit and convenience for human beings as a helpful tool. But unfortunately nowadays, there are so many optical incidents caused by the misusing of laser pointers. Among those users, they are using laser pointers are for fun or even joke. Most of them are teenagers and habitual criminals. As juveniles, teenagers would never image the danger that a laser pointer cause unless it does happens. They hurt themselves by shining laser beam to eyes or staring at high-power laser beam directly, while some for fun, pointing at aircraft, moving vehicles or neighbors, leading serious incidents. While for habitual criminals, they already realize the harm of laser pointer but still keep on having such stupid behavior, with the fluke mind they would not be captured by police.

By concentrating all power on the thin laser beam, the laser pointer is so bright and powerful that it can cause temporary and permanent blindness. When a pilot or car driver is driving an aircraft or car and suddenly was shined into a piece of laser beam, he has to close eyes at once by ability. One can image how serious incident it would lead. All cabin members’ life are in danger, and big traffic incidents happens. This is all because of a laser player’s trick.