£300 fine for shining laser at police helicopter - Part-time cleaner Freddy Polanco, 23 told a court he was “playing a game”

Published: 21 April 2011
by JAMIE WELHAM

A MAN who dazzled a police helicopter pilot with a powerful laser beam has been fined £300.

Part-time cleaner Freddy Polanco, 23, from Regent’s Park, told a court he was “playing a game” when he shone the green laser at the pilot.

He escaped trial at crown court and a possible jail sentence because of a change in the law last year which meant the original charge of recklessly endangering an aircraft was withdrawn and replaced with a lesser charge relating specifically to laser pens.

Mr Polanco, of Compton Close, admitted the offence at Highbury Magistrates’ Court yesterday (Wednesday). 

In a statement read out in court the helicopter pilot said he was temporarily blinded because he was “dazzled” by the laser as he flew back to base from an emergency call at 9.45pm on February 27.

He alerted officers on the ground, who traced the beam back to Mr Polanco. The accused told the court he did not know shining a laser pointer was   illegal and that he was “playing   a game”.

Speaking after the sentence, aviation regulators said they had hoped the new offence would carry a custodial sentence.

A Civil Aviation Authority spokesman said: “Helicopters are particularly vulnerable because they only have one pilot and glass cabins. Shining a laser pen at a pilot can be fatal.

“We hoped the new offence would result in more prosecutions for people shining laser pointers, because unfortunately it is a growing social trend.” 

Photo: Library stock