Birmingham man charged over laser shone at police helicopter
A man has been charged with endangering an aircraft after a laser was shone at a police helicopter in Birmingham.
West Midlands Police said the helicopter was flying over Edgbaston responding to a call at about 22:30 BST on Tuesday.
A laser torch was shone at the aircraft from a parked vehicle on Benmore Avenue and a man was subsequently arrested.
The 25-year-old, from Nechells, has been bailed to appear at Birmingham Magistrates' Court in two weeks.
Police air operations supervisor Martin Knowles said: "In extreme cases pilots can be temporarily blinded if they're hit in the eye by a laser, even one shone from long range.
"Sometimes pilots are required to hover close to overhead wiring or tower blocks, moves which require extreme skill and precision, so even being distracted by a split second can have terrible consequences."