A Midland man, Reed Beers, has been sentenced for deliberately shining a laser at a police aircraft involved in responding to a suspected gunman. On March 10, the 60-year-old from Old Office Road, Dawley, aimed a green laser at a National Police Air Service (NPAS) fixed-wing plane that was assisting law enforcement during an active incident in Telford.
The plane had been deployed to track a man reported to be armed on Ketley Bank and was circling the area for nearly an hour. At 7:52 pm, the pilot reported being targeted by the green laser, which impaired visibility and distracted the flight crew. Using this information, West Mercia Police quickly located the source of the laser and arrested Beers at his home.
Beers admitted to shining a red laser initially, claiming he was attempting to photograph a drone from his bedroom window. He stated he was unaware of any aircraft presence at the time, citing the Flight Radar App as evidence. However, no photographic evidence was found on his camera, and officers discovered two hidden green laser pens during a search of his home.
Charged with dazzling or distracting a pilot, Beers appeared at Telford Magistrates Court on March 27. He received a 12-month custodial discharge and was ordered to surrender the laser devices.
Detective Inspector Paul Drury emphasized the severe dangers posed by such actions, especially when aircraft are involved in active police operations. “Shining a laser at any aircraft is inherently dangerous, but doing so while it supports officers during an incident puts the crew and public at even greater risk,” he stated. Drury further noted that this sentence sends a strong message that endangering aircraft will lead to firm justice.