Jail for angler who shone laser into cockpit

An angler who deliberately shone a laser at the cockpit of a Ryanair flight with 155 passengers on board has been jailed for a year.

The first officer piloting the flight from Dublin was dazzled and the captain distracted during the most critical part of the approach to Birmingham Airport, a court heard.

Captain Fabian Renzow described seeing the intense green beam seeking out his aircraft and 'hunting us down'.

A police helicopter on patrol was diverted to find the source of the laser and its pilot had to change course to avoid it.

But the pilot did spot the source of the laser, a pool in Washbrook Lane, Norton Canes. Officers went to the pool and found four men, who all initially denied being involved.

One of them, Steve Johnson, eventually went to his car and handed over a laser pen. He said he had been using it to scare birds away from his bait.

But Recorder Mr Mark Wall QC told him: "You deliberately shone a laser light in to the sky and in to that cockpit. It doesn't take any imagination to realise what tragic events could have been caused by your actions that night."

Mr Robert Price, prosecuting, told the court that the Ryanair Boeing 737 flight FR668 was approaching Birmingham Airport at just 6,000ft on April 26 this year when the crew became aware of a green light about three miles ahead. They were just 16 miles from the landing strip and they radioed for police help.

The plane was kept on autopilot while the light was monitored. At one point the beam entered the cockpit, dazzling First Officer James Pyle. Because of the multi-layered glass of the windows, the beam dispersed and 'bounced around the cockpit'.

"This was at the most critical point as they were approaching to land," said Mr Price. Capt Renzow later told investigators 'the shining of a laser in to a cockpit is extremely dangerous....If a laser light strikes a pilot directly it can cause temporary blindness or permanent blindness. A laser strike can have potentially devastating results'.

Luckily, the two crew members landed the plane safely.

After his arrest Johnson, a father of two, said he didn't realise the gravity of what he was doing. The laser pens could be bought off ebay, seven for £6.

Mr Harpreet Sandhu, defending, said: "The laser pen was in his possession to use in a legitimate way. It is an act of gross stupidity which brings him before the court."

Johnson, aged 34, of Norman Road, Smethwick admitted two charges of doing an act likely to endanger an aircraft. "There has to be a deterrent sentence to stop others from behaving in the way you did," said the judge.