Shadow Attorney General Greg Smith SC said today that the release of a man convicted of shining a laser into the eyes of the pilot of a Police helicopter is far too lenient and will do nothing to deter other copycat criminals. 

“This sentence will do nothing to deter other criminals flashing lasers into the eyes of helpless pilots and drivers,” Mr Smith said.

“Such irresponsible behaviour risks the lives and safety of potentially hundreds of plane passengers, as well as many more persons on the ground in the event of a plane crash,” he said.

“The Iemma Government made much noise about how they were going to crack down on laser criminals after a dramatic rise in the number of attacks on moving aircraft and other vehicles.

“Clearly strong penalties and denunciation of such acts is necessary, to act as a deterrent to others tempted to act in such a callous way.

“The fact such a dangerous act is only penalised as a summary offence shows just how weak the Iemma Government’s response was.

“The leniency shown by the courts in this matter is completely out of step with the views of responsible citizens who see the need to clamp down on such dangerous actions.

“In the face of hounding by the NSW Liberal/Nationals, the Labor Government was forced to introduce an offence of rock throwing punishable by up to 5 years gaol. Public unease was growing because rock throwers were escaping punishment due to the Iemma Government’s stubborn refusal to create such an offence.

“Despite the seriousness and gross stupidity of throwing rocks and other missiles at passing trucks and cars, the temporary blinding of pilots and drivers with lasers is potentially far more serious and the Iemma Government must request the DPP to review the sentence.

“The Iemma Government must also commit to beefing up the maximum sentence for laser flashing and make it an indictable offence, as is rock throwing.

“Otherwise criminally irresponsible yobbos, who are difficult to catch, will continue flashing lasers in the knowledge that the courts are likely to send them away with a slap on the wrists and let them go free,” Mr Smith said.