A MAN thought the West Yorkshire Police helicopter was a UFO when he shone a laser beam at it, dazzling and distracting the pilot and co-pilot, Bradford Crown Court heard today.

Benjamin Fort, who couldn’t be sentenced yesterday because he turned up “intoxicated” and had to sleep it off in the cells shone the beam at the aircraft on September 17 last year.

Fort, 39, of Parkwood Rise, Keighley, pleaded guilty at Bradford and Keighley Magistrates Court to shining or directing the beam towards the helicopter from his home address.

Judge Jonathan Rose said he was “a little dubious” about Fort’s assertion that he had mistaken the aircraft for a UFO but he would “listen with courtesy” if he gave evidence to that effect when he is sentenced on February 26.

Fort arrived at the court building heavily intoxicated yesterday morning. The security staff had to be alerted and three dock officers were needed to take him down to the cells.

Judge Rose said Fort had to be given three hours to sleep off his “alcoholic binge.”

He was remanded in custody overnight and produced before the court this afternoon.

His barrister, George Hazel-Owram, said Fort, who at first claimed to be ill with a bleed on the brain rather than drunk, now accepted that he was intoxicated and apologised to the court.

Mr Hazel-Owram said he had pointed the laser into the sky but did not realise the serious implications of what he was doing.

Fort had told him he sometimes used the beam to find rabbits. He did not realise he was shining it at a helicopter.

“He is deeply remorseful and did not intend to cause any harm,” Mr Hazel-Owram told the court.

He said Fort had serious mental and physical health problems and asked for time to seek updated medical reports on his conditions to put before the court.

Fort had been up all night before yesterday’s hearing because he was so worried about the case.

Judge Rose remanded him back into custody because he had not sought the help of the probation officer who was to have compiled a pre-sentence report, and much worse, he had arrived at court intoxicated.

Judge Rose said that Fort was very likely to receive an immediate prison sentence.