Sponsored by
Man facing jail over helicopter incident
A MAN has been warned he is facing jail for endangering the safety of a police helicopter after deliberately shining a high-powered light at it.
Michael Renney was convicted of aiming the beam of a rabbiting lamp at the Cleveland Police helicopter.
He shone it twice at the aircraft from a moving van as the chopper hovered 600 feet above Hartlepool town centre.
Renney, 21, claimed he turned the lamp on by accident as he moved it from the front to the back seat of the Vauxhall Astra van he was a passenger in.
But he was unanimously found guilty by a jury yesterday after a two-day trial at Teesside Crown Court.
The judge branded his actions "stupidly dangerous" and warned him the offence usually carries a prison sentence. The Recorder of Middlesbrough, Judge Peter Fox, told Renney: "You have been found guilty of endangering the police helicopter which was a stupidly dangerous thing to do and you must know normally carries a short sentence of imprisonment. But I'm not going to pre judge this matter."
Judge Fox adjourned sentence until three weeks time so background reports can be prepared.
The trial earlier heard from the crew of the helicopter who said they had to avert their eyes twice within 30 seconds to avoid being dazzled by the beam.
Pilot Malcolm Gardner said he could have crashed into Christ Church spire, in Church Square, if he had lost control.
Renney was arrested after the van in Marina Way was identified as the source of the light at around 2.45am on Saturday, August 15, and was pulled over by police.
The second time, Renney was seen holding the lamp outside the van window.
He was returning from a rabbiting trip to a farm in North Yorkshire with his brother and two friends.
Renney, of Kipling Road, Hartlepool, was granted bail until he is sentenced.
Email to a friend
Print this page- VIDEO: 999 call police car ploughs into house
- Toon target set to seal ‘dream’ move
- TRANSFER RUMOURS - Thursday, May 24: Newcastle, Demba Ba, Arsenal, Chelsea, Man City deny Tevez rumours, Man Utd, Porto
- TRANSFER RUMOURS - Friday, May 25: Man city, Man utd, Spurs, Arsenal,
- Arrests after trap driver injured
Looking for...
Featured advertisers
Jobs
Search for a job
Motors
Search for a car
Property
Search for a house
Weather for Hartlepool
Sunday 27 May 2012
Today
Sunny
Temperature: 9 C to 21 C
Wind Speed: 10 mph
Wind direction: North east
Tomorrow
Sunny
Temperature: 9 C to 22 C
Wind Speed: 10 mph
Wind direction: East
