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UK: Police employee, 53, sentenced to two years community service, £3,500 in costs

A police community service officer (PCSO) was sentenced February 4 2014 to two years community service, and was ordered to pay £3,500 in costs, for pointing a green laser beam towards a police helicopter hovering above his home.

On May 20 2013, the helicopter was sent to investigate a shooting. As it hovered over Luton, a green laser beam dazzled the crew of three, leading to evasive action by the pilot. Officers on the ground traced the beam to 53-year-old James McIvor, a PCSO with British Transport Police. (A PCSO is a civilian member of police staff who is a uniformed non-warranted officer.)

James McIvor PCSO laser
James McIvor, PCSO, British Transport Police


McIvor told officers he had been using a laser pen to attract his elderly cat that was on top of his garage.

McIvor was convicted in December 2013 of acting in a negligent manner to endanger the safety of an aircraft. He was acquitted of a more serious charge of recklessly endangering the safety of an aircraft.

From BBC News and Wikipedia’s PCSO page