Man charged after laser pen shone at police helicopter

The police helicopter is able to pinpoint where a laser is fired from

An 18-year-old man has been charged after a laser pen was shone at the West Midlands Police helicopter.

The man, from Wolverhampton, is accused of recklessly acting in a manner likely to endanger an aircraft or person in an aircraft.

He has been bailed to appear before magistrates in Wolverhampton on 18 January.

"Laser pen attacks on the force helicopter are taken extremely seriously," a police spokesperson said.

"The aircraft has sophisticated technology that can accurately pinpoint anyone shining a laser pen into the sky so offenders can expect police patrols to be upon them very quickly."

The crew reported that laser light was shone at them as they were on their way to an incident in Wolverhampton just before 19:00 GMT on Sunday.

They radioed its position to officers on the ground and a man was arrested.