Laser shone at police helicopter in Belfast

Police have warned of the dangers of laser pens after a beam was shone at a force helicopter.

The incident happened in the Spring Place area of east Belfast at about 11.40pm yesterday.

A 50-year-old man was questioned and police said inquiries are ongoing.

A PSNI spokesman said such acts were highly irresponsible and dangerous.

Lasers can cause temporary blindness and, where pilots are concerned, this could result in a catastrophe and possibly lead to significant loss of life, he said.

“Those involved in this activity need to be mindful of the impact which their behaviour could have.

“If life is lost as a result of this behaviour, those involved could not only face charges of being in possession of a dangerous weapon but could also end up facing manslaughter charges.”

Police have urged anyone with information about the incident to get in touch.