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Man jailed after shining laser at police helicopter | Man jailed after shining laser at police helicopter |
(about 1 hour later) | |
A judge told Benjamin Fort he would have jailed him for longer had he been able to | A judge told Benjamin Fort he would have jailed him for longer had he been able to |
A man who shone a laser into the eyes of a police helicopter pilot has been described as an "idiot" and a "liar" by a judge. | A man who shone a laser into the eyes of a police helicopter pilot has been described as an "idiot" and a "liar" by a judge. |
Benjamin Fort told police he thought the aircraft above Keighley in West Yorkshire was a UFO in an attempt to explain his actions. | Benjamin Fort told police he thought the aircraft above Keighley in West Yorkshire was a UFO in an attempt to explain his actions. |
The helicopter was taking part in a search for a missing woman at the time. | The helicopter was taking part in a search for a missing woman at the time. |
Judge Jonathan Rose jailed Fort for six months and told him he would have sent him to prison for longer if he could. | Judge Jonathan Rose jailed Fort for six months and told him he would have sent him to prison for longer if he could. |
Prosecutor Paul Canfield told Bradford Crown Court how the pilot had closed his eyes as a reflex to the light and then manoeuvred the aircraft to protect himself and his colleague. | Prosecutor Paul Canfield told Bradford Crown Court how the pilot had closed his eyes as a reflex to the light and then manoeuvred the aircraft to protect himself and his colleague. |
A police officer in the helicopter, which had flown from Manchester to Keighley in August 2020, was able to direct colleagues to the location of the device resulting in Fort's arrest. | A police officer in the helicopter, which had flown from Manchester to Keighley in August 2020, was able to direct colleagues to the location of the device resulting in Fort's arrest. |
Fort, 39, of Parkwood Rise in Keighley, had apologised and initially claimed he had been looking for rabbits. | Fort, 39, of Parkwood Rise in Keighley, had apologised and initially claimed he had been looking for rabbits. |
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He then said he thought the helicopter was a UFO before eventually admitting he had shone the laser at the aircraft crew. | He then said he thought the helicopter was a UFO before eventually admitting he had shone the laser at the aircraft crew. |
'Idiot like you' | 'Idiot like you' |
The judge said Fort's explanation of "hunting rabbits" was a complete and utter lie . | The judge said Fort's explanation of "hunting rabbits" was a complete and utter lie . |
"You changed it on the last occasion to you thought that what was flying overhead was a UFO," he said. | "You changed it on the last occasion to you thought that what was flying overhead was a UFO," he said. |
"That was a lie too and the reality is there was no, and never could be, any justification for what you did." | "That was a lie too and the reality is there was no, and never could be, any justification for what you did." |
Judge Rose noted that the witnesses reported repeated "strikes" from the laser and it had not been a case of Fort just doing it once. | Judge Rose noted that the witnesses reported repeated "strikes" from the laser and it had not been a case of Fort just doing it once. |
"It isn't only those who are in the aircraft. It is those in the houses below peaceably living their lives and potentially losing their lives because an idiot like you points a laser beam into the eyes of a pilot." | "It isn't only those who are in the aircraft. It is those in the houses below peaceably living their lives and potentially losing their lives because an idiot like you points a laser beam into the eyes of a pilot." |
The judge said while he would have liked to have passed a sentence measured in years for the danger created by Fort's actions, it was likely another court would intervene. | The judge said while he would have liked to have passed a sentence measured in years for the danger created by Fort's actions, it was likely another court would intervene. |
Follow BBC Yorkshire on Facebook, Twitter and Instagram. Send your story ideas to yorkslincs.news@bbc.co.uk. | Follow BBC Yorkshire on Facebook, Twitter and Instagram. Send your story ideas to yorkslincs.news@bbc.co.uk. |
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