A COUNTY father accused of causing a police helicopter search for a vulnerable missing person to be called off by shining a laser beam into the aircraft has walked free from court.

Brian McPhillips was alleged to have directed the bright green light into the cockpit of the helicopter as it circled over Whitecraig during the hunt for the “high-risk” person.

Helicopter pilot Captain Nigel Clark said his aircraft came under attack four times, while his police colleague PC Alistair Rennie said the incident could have had “devastating consequences” for all on board.

A property in Musselburgh was identified as the source of the light and when officers raced to the property, they found McPhillips leaning out of an upstairs window.

A police officer told the trial at Edinburgh Sheriff Court that when confronted about the laser attack, McPhillips denied any involvement and had attempted to put the blame on his young daughter.

The court also heard that the incident caused the aircraft to call off its part in the search for the missing person.

But following two days of evidence, 50-year-old McPhillips was acquitted when a jury returned a majority not proven verdict.

Sheriff Alistair Noble thanked the jury members for their service and told McPhillips he was free to leave the dock.

Came under attack by a laser

The trial heard from Captain Clark, 53, who said he was a civilian contracted to Police Scotland and had taken off from the Clyde heliport in Govan, Glasgow, to join the search for a missing person.

Captain Clark said that the helicopter came under attack by a laser four times as he and two police colleagues flew over Whitecraig at about 9pm on March 24, 2020.

He told the court the bursts of green light “illuminated the cockpit” and were “a distraction and a blinding issue” to him and the crew.

PC Colin McMaster, who was on board as part of Police Scotland’s Air Support Unit, said that the laser attack was “completely distracting and disorientating” and the aircraft’s camera was used to try and locate the source of the light.

A home at Moray Way in Musselburgh was identified as the location and camera footage shown to the court showed the home with an open upstairs window and a person in the window.

Camera operator PC Alistair Rennie said that the helicopter was forced to turn away from the light source and he was “very confident the laser came from the bedroom” at the address in Musselburgh.

'Could have been catastrophic'

PC Rennie told the court he suffered “very brief blindness” and that “the effects [of the attack] could have been catastrophic”.

He added: “It could have had devastating consequences if the pilot cannot see. There is a possibility that the aircraft could crash.”

PC David Waddell arrived at the property with a colleague and spoke to McPhillips, who was seen leaning out of the window identified by the helicopter.

PC Waddell said he saw something in McPhillips’ left hand which he told the officer was a TV remote control.

During the conversation, the constable told the court that McPhillips, currently of Garrison Green, Dunbar, denied any involvement but said “it might have been his child that was responsible”.

Following two hours of deliberation, the jury returned on Friday afternoon to deliver the verdict that the Crown had failed to prove the allegation against McPhillips.

McPhillips was acquitted of shining or directing a laser beam towards a police helicopter, causing the operator to be dazzled or distracted, from an address at Moray Way, Musselburgh, on March 24, 2020.