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Australia: Laser pointer suspect hides laser, self

From the Chelsea Mordialloc Mentone News, May 5 2021:

A man has been arrested for allegedly pointing a laser at a police helicopter in Keysborough, a suburb of Melbourne, Australia.

After the alleged incident, police searched a home on Amanda Court. They say they found the laser pointer hidden in a basket in the front yard of the house.

Police say that they entered the house and found a man hiding under a pile of clothes in the bedroom. He was arrested.

Police will charge the 44-year-old on summons with prejudicing the safe operation of an aircraft, interfering with crew or aircraft, reckless conduct endangering life, possessing a prohibited weapon, and assault police.

Australia: Man aims laser at police helicopter; laser found in freezer

On November 4 2020, a laser beam was aimed at a Melbourne, Victoria police helicopter. The crew directed ground officers to a home where a man evaded the officers and tried to lock himself inside the house.

Police went in through the unlocked back door and after a struggle, arrested a 43-year-old man. In the home's freezer, police found a laser pointer, as well as two imitation firearms elsewhere on the property.

The man is expected to be charged with endangering the safe operation of an aircraft, reckless conduct endangering life, possession of a prohibited weapon [the laser], assaulting police and resisting arrest.

From 7news.com.au

Australia: Two Melbourne men charged for aiming laser from car at police helicopter

Four men were arrested for aiming a laser beam from a moving car, at a police helicopter in Melbourne on October 5 2013.

A 20-year-old man from Preston was charged with interfering with conduct endangering life and possessing a prohibited weapon. An 18-year-old man from Coburg will be charged on summons with possessing a prohibited weapon. The other two men were released without charges.

From ABC News

Australia: UPDATED - Video shows Sept. arrest of Hampton Park man given AUD $3500 fine

Video footage taken by a police helicopter helped track and convict Tam Thanh Nguyen, 21, of Cranbourne. On September 3 2011, Nguyen was at a party in Hampton Park. He pointed a green laser, which he had bought on vacation in Malaysia, at the helicopter which was 2 km away. The pilot turned on the video which recorded Nguyen’s second illumination:


The pilot was flashblinded so that he had to fly on instruments only. He called ground officers, and Nguyen was arrested within 30 minutes.

On November 24 2011 Nguyen pleaded guilty to interfering with an aircraft crew member, and to possessing and importing a prohibited weapon into Victoria. Prosecutors asked for a jail term of up to the maximum two years. Nguyen’s lawyer said his client was sorry: “You won’t get more genuine remorse … this was a spontaneous act of stupidity…”. The judge said Nguyen had good character and had not understood the consequences of his actions. He fined Nguyen AUD $2000 and he was ordered to donate another $1500 to charity.

Nguyen’s laser was said to be “60 times more powerful than the allowable limit.” (In Victoria, pointers over 1 mW are banned, so the laser must have been 60 mW.)

From the Herald Sun. The original story of Nguyen’s arrest in September was covered here by LaserPointerSafety.com.

UPDATED February 28 2012: Nguyen lost a February 27 appeal on the charge of interfering with the crew or the aircraft. At the hearing, his lawyer said Nguyen’s drunken actions were “spontaneous and stupid” and he had never intended to deliberately shine the laser into the cockpit. Two character witnesses testified on Nguyen’s behalf. However, the appeals judge was amazed that a “smart, talented and highly regarded person could commit acts with such potential for disaster.” The judge noted there were “unthinkable consequences” from the September 3 2011 lasing, and he was therefore obligated to convict Nguyen due to the seriousness of the incident. From The Age.
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Australia: Man aims at police helicopter, could be jailed for 2 years (UPDATED)

A 21-year-old Cranbourne man at a Hampton Park party aimed a laser at a police helicopter on September 3 2011. The incident was captured on infrared video, and the man was captured. He was charged with interference with an aircraft, reckless conduct endangering life, and possession of a prohibited weapon. The interference charge carries a maximum two year jail sentence. His court appearance has been set for November 24 2011.

A Victoria Police spokesman said Melbourne has the highest number of incidents involving laser light, and “these incidents are occurring far too frequently….”

From
The Age, Herald Sun and ABC News

UPDATE November 24 2011: Tam Nguyen pleaded guilty on November 24 2011. He was fined a total of AUD $3500. Details are in this LaserPointerSafety.com story.