Watch moment man is arrested after shining laser into police helicopter cockpit

WATCH: Man shines laser pen at police helicopter, quickly regrets it - YouTube

A man who risked the lives of a police helicopter crew assisting in the search for a missing person has been jailed.

The National Police Air Service (NPAS) crew were assisting officers in Ferryhill on the evening of June 29 when Colin Quinn repeatedly pointed a green laser directly into their cockpit.

Officers on the ground were alerted to Quinn’s actions and with the help of the helicopter crew, traced Quinn back to an address in Highland Terrace.

Quinn initially denied the offence but after the pen was recovered down the side of his sofa, said “oh I’m f****d”.

The 44-year-old was arrested for endangering the safety of an aircraft and taken into custody where he apologised and said his actions had been the result of a combination of stupidity and intoxication.

Quinn, of Ferryhill, was charged with recklessly or negligently acting in a manner likely to endanger an aircraft or a person in an aircraft.

And at Durham Crown Court last Tuesday (August 19), he was sentenced to four months in prison and ordered to pay £154 in court costs.

Sergeant Peter Newman, of Ferryhill Neighbourhood Policing Team, said: “Every minute is valuable when searching for a missing person and Quinn’s actions not only put our NPAS colleagues at risk but also meant that valuable resources were taken away from the search dealing with Quinn’s stupidity.

“We hope this sentence will deter others who might think this type behaviour is acceptable.”

Captain Paul Watts, Head of Flight Operations at NPAS, added: “Targeting aircraft with lasers is dangerous. It puts our crews at risk and can jeopardise public safety on the ground.

“NPAS crews are equipped to trace the source of these incidents, and we work closely with police forces to ensure swift action is taken.

“There are serious consequences for those who choose to engage in this kind of behaviour.”