A man who shone a laser directly at a police aircraft in the early hours of the morning claimed he was looking for a dropped cigarette when confronted by officers.
Matthew Davies, 33, broke down in sobs as he was jailed at Cardiff Crown Court on Thursday for irresponsibly directing a laser at an aircraft from the back garden of his Caerphilly home.
Pilot Robert Humphries and three other officers were called out by Gwent Police at 3am on March 17 to assist an investigation into a burglary in commercial premises just outside Caerphilly town centre.
But during the operation Mr Humphries said he was distracted by a "persistent and deliberate targeted" laser beam which focused on the aircraft for between 15 and 20 minutes.
Prosecutor David Pinnell said the laser "dazzled" Mr Humphries and prevented him from seeing the controls of the helicopter, which had already been compromised due to poor weather and night-time darkness.
As a result of this there was a significant risk of a collision endangering those on board and others due to the aircraft being positioned above a built-up residential area.
The crew donned laser goggles and Mr Humphries broke off the operation he was engaged in to reposition the helicopter and minimise the effects of the laser.
Through the use of infra-red and heat detection cameras officers were on board were able to trace the location of the laser to an address in Dol yr Eos in Mornington Meadows, Caerphilly.
Mr Pinnell said: "Officers went to the rear and front of the property and saw the defendant, outside in his garden, who was still directing the laser towards the helicopter.
"An officer shouted 'Stay where you are' but the defendant went into the house and was met by another officer who came in through the front of the house.
"The officer noticed an object that was black with a red tip which he believed to be the laser and was seized."
Upon his arrest Davies said: "I did not aim it at the sky."
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In his police interview he accepted the laser was shone in the direction of the helicopter. He claimed he was having a cigarette and was shining the laser at his garden fence, which had bounced onto the aircraft.
Davies also claimed he had dropped a cigarette and was using the laser to look for it for a period of two minutes.
He later pleaded guilty to shining or directing a laser beam onto a police helicopter. The court also heard he had a number of previous convictions for offences including theft, battery, harassment, and breaching court orders.
Defence barrister Emma Harris said her client accepted his actions were "stupid and foolish" and he had shown remorse. She added: "It was a reckless act and he was using a device he did not think would have the consequences it could have had."
Sentencing, Judge Michael Fitton QC said the offence was too serious to warrant a suspended sentence. He added: "You were putting individuals in the aircraft at risk of personal harm. The vision of the pilot was impaired and there was significant risk of an accident.
"It was obvious to those four inside the aircraft over a built-up area that the consequences would have been devastating to those on board if they lost control.
"You started acting recklessly and the account you gave the police that this was some sort of accident was nonsense. The fact you could contemplate acting in that way for 15 minutes frankly beggars belief.
"You're old enough to know better. You haven't learned from your previous behaviour and it has to be seen to be an immediate term of imprisonment."
Davies was sentenced to seven months imprisonment.
