Laser light points to prison
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Hornby man who endangered passenger aircraft approaching Christchurch Airport by shining a laser pointer has been jailed for 10 weeks.
Tane Hemopo, a 39-year-old project manager, was originally charged with recklessly shining a laser light at a passenger plane, and the airport control tower, but pleaded guilty to the two new charges of causing unnecessary danger to the people aboard a Virgin Airlines passenger plane and a New Zealand Post Metroliner.
Hemopo had been recalled to prison after this offending, to finish a sentence he received for a charge relating to methamphetamine.
He had been in custody since October 17, after not appearing at court for his sentencing date.
Defence counsel Serina Bailey said what he had done was sheer stupidity, rather than anything intentional, and he realised it was a bad call on his part.
He had a panic reaction to being subject to the prison recall, which was why he missed his last sentencing date, she said.
The offending had little effect on the crew, and they were not in danger, she said.
Judge Tom Gilbert said at 12.30am on April 5, Hemopo was near the Sign of the Kiwi on Summit Road. He pointed the high powered laser at a plane that was coming in to land at Christchurch Airport.
He said Hemopo pointed the beam at the tail of the aircraft, and then at the control tower. A few minutes later a passenger plane was coming in to land, and the dazzling light entered the cockpit of the aircraft three times, but had little effect on the flight crew.
Judge Gilbert said Hemopo’s actions put those flights at unnecessary risk, but he did not understand the risk he was creating.
Hemopo wrote a letter to apologise to the pilots and air traffic controllers.
Judge Gilbert said Hemopo was a serving prisoner so a prison sentence was his only option.
He sentenced him to 10 weeks’ prison.
Category: News
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