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Blinded by the light
August 2009 When Manfred Mann's Earth Band had a number one hit worldwide in 1977 with Blinded by the light laser pointer devices probably hadn't even made the drawing board. Now they are widely available, can be inexpensive, and are used safely in education and presentation for pointing. But there are more powerful versions and the wrong type in the wrong hands can result in the victim literally being blinded by the light. If such a laser light is shone into your eyes fear for your eyesight. If you are in the air, and it is shone into your pilot's eyes, fear for your life.
Shining lasers into the eye is considered a serious offence, and in June 2008 a Stockport man was jailed for four months for pointing the laser at a helicopter pilot more than eight times as he flew overhead. Experts believe the consequences could have been "catastrophic" not only for the pilot and his two passengers but also for people on the ground.
Airports targeted
In one incident a green laser hit a 130-seater BMI Airbus 319 at 4000ft. In another a cargo plane from Aberdeen was forced to drop 400ft as it approached the runway to avoid a green beam. An EasyJet Airbus carrying 59 passengers and six crew travelling on the same flightpath from Stansted was targeted 30 minutes later. The pilots in both planes suffered a loss of vision, and were forced to cover their eyes at a crucial point in the descent after the beam dazzled them. A spokesman for the Civil Aviation Authority, which records all aircraft hazards, told the Edinburgh Evening News that the pens had very little practical use for the general public. He added: "Some of the less powerful pens are used for things like conference pointers, but the more powerful ones capable of reaching an approaching aircraft are of little use to most people other than as a potentially dangerous toy."
The menace is worryingly common. In May a failed asylum seeker from Afghanistan was jailed for shining a laser at a passenger plane preparing to land at Cardiff airport. And in June a convicted robber who targeted the South Yorkshire Police helicopter with a laser pen as it flew over Sheffield on a search operation was been sent back to jail. A month earlier a teenager in Birmingham pleaded guilty to dazzling the pilot of a police helicopter with a laser in Birmingham. The pilot had to take immediate "avoiding action" so as to reduce the threat of danger to the crew and people below.
Closer to home the Leicester Mercury reported in July that hand-held laser pens have been trying to dazzle air crew as they land and take off from East Midlands Airport. Both passenger and freight aircraft have been targeted. The general secretary of the British Airline Pilots' Association, Jim McAuslan, told the Mercury that each incident could have caused a crash. He said: "These laser guns, some no bigger than a ball-point pen, cost less than £10 and can be obtained from websites and even from some corner shops. They have a range of up to 37,000 ft.” He added that the beams have temporarily dazzled pilots and have the potential to permanently damage sight. "Fortunately no pilot has lost his, or her, sight permanently, but that is not to say it won't happen. None of us can afford to let the use of these laser guns go on unchecked."
Alarming increase in incidents
Apparently the number of laser incidents reported across the UK grew from just 3 in 2003 to 206 in 2008 – compared to 29 the year before. The union wants more to be done to catch and prosecute laser users. The maximum sentence on conviction is 5 years in prison. Mr McAuslan said in a letter to the Transport Secretary Lord Adonis that "technology to locate the exact origin of a beam has been developed and we hope that such devices are urgently rolled out to police forces across the UK. We believe that laser-related incidents pose a sufficient risk to flight safety that co-ordinated action is required across the industry.”
Groby also affected
But the problem is even closer to home than the East Midlands Airport, as a local resident has reported that his Groby home has been targeted twice, the first occasion as long as 10 years ago. “ We both got out of the sitting room because of the risk of eye damage and covered our faces as we crossed the road,”he said. “The people concerned had no idea their kids had it, they stopped it immediately and apologised profusely. I don't blame them and the kids have grown up. I do blame the supplier.”
On the second occasion, last year, his wife was in the kitchen when she was hit in the face by a burst of brilliant green light aimed from another property. “She abandoned what she was doing and got out of the kitchen as it tracked across our house and presumably others several times,” he said. “ I eventually located the source by photographing it twice, once to prove it was shining on us, the second so I could clearly identify the house. We immediately went round to the house and complained, showing the photographs. The owner said it had been given to a child who he spoke to. I was really surprised that they were fully aware the child had it We haven't seen it since -otherwise it would have been reported to the police. The reason for raising this matter is to say please don't give these dangerous weapons to kids. Please don't play with them, if nothing else you could be liable for massive damages.”
This resident was able to deal with the issue by talking to his neighbour, but not everyone may feel able to tackle the problem in this way. The good news is that PC Ned Kelly from the neighbourhood policing team is not aware of any problems with laser pens in Groby. But he is aware of the potential of laser pens to do harm and advises that anyone with unresolved concerns about their inappropriate or dangerous use shouldn't hesitate in contacting the police.
August 2009