Man given a suspended sentence for shining light at Hawarden based police helicopter

A man who flashed a high-powered lamp at a police helicopter whilst it was searching for a missing person in the Bangor area has been given a suspended prison sentence. ‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‍‌​‌‌‌​‌​‍‌​‌‌‌​‌​

18-year-old Kevin Riley of Greenacres, Llandygai Road, Bangor was sentenced at Caernarfon Crown Court on Wednesday after pleading guilty to acting in a manner likely to endanger an aircraft, obstruct police and behaving in a threatening manner and was given a six month suspended sentence and ordered to carry out 180 hours of unpaid work. ‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‍‌​‌‌‌​‌​‍‌​‌‌‌​‌​

The National Police Air Service helicopter was above the Bangor area just before 11pm on July 23 last year after they had been called to assist in the search of a high-risk missing person. ‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‍‌​‌‌‌​‌​‍‌​‌‌‌​‌​

Police were notified that a high powered lamp was being shone at the aircraft and an officer was immediately dispatched to the area. ‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‍‌​‌‌‌​‌​‍‌​‌‌‌​‌​

The officer found the 18-year-old on the Llandygai Industrial Estate where he was arrested and taken into police custody. ‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‍‌​‌‌‌​‌​‍‌​‌‌‌​‌​

A 47-year-old man who was with him at the time was also arrested on suspicion of using threatening and abusive words and he was later cautioned. ‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‍‌​‌‌‌​‌​‍‌​‌‌‌​‌​

Steve Jones, National Police Air Service Assistant Operations Director for North Wales, said: “Shining a light at an aircraft causes a dangerous distraction which could endanger the crew and people on the ground. We welcome the prosecution and hope that it serves as a deterrent for anyone thinking of doing the same.” ‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‍‌​‌‌‌​‌​‍‌​‌‌‌​‌​

Superintendent Neil Thomas from North Wales Police’ Operational Support Services said: “Shining a light towards an aircraft puts that helicopter and its crew at completely unnecessary risk. ‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‍‌​‌‌‌​‌​‍‌​‌‌‌​‌​

At the time of the incident the aircraft was assisting local officers who were searching for a high risk missing person. ‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‍‌​‌‌‌​‌​‍‌​‌‌‌​‌​

The helicopter was over a built up area and this had the potential to lead to catastrophic results both for the helicopter crew and innocent members of the public below. ‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‍‌​‌‌‌​‌​‍‌​‌‌‌​‌​

This type of behaviour will not be tolerated and we will robustly deal with anybody caught behaving in this manner and bring them before the courts.” ‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‍‌​‌‌‌​‌​‍‌​‌‌‌​‌​

The NPAS helicopter was from Hawarden, one of 14 National Police Air Service bases providing borderless air support to all police forces in England and Wales. ‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‍‌​‌‌‌​‌​‍‌​‌‌‌​‌​

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