The jury considering the case of a man on trial for interfering with a helicopter doing frost fighting at a vineyard near Seddon was to continue deliberating in the Blenheim District Court this morning.
The jury retired last night after deliberating for two hours following the closing addresses by crown prosecutor Hugh Boyd-Wilson and defence lawyers Tony Bamford and Andrew McCormick. Cyril Michael Schonberger, 48, of Seddon, faces three charges of interfering with an aircraft with reckless disregard for safety after allegedly shining his car headlights and a spotlight and throwing a stone at a helicopter working at the Hard Case Vineyard early on October 11, 2009.
In closing, Mr Boyd-Wilson said the case centred on whether Schonberger knew his actions would endanger the pilot. The risks involved with shining a light towards people in the dark was common sense. An example was driving at night and the blinding effects of an oncoming car with its lights on high beam.
Mr Boyd-Wilson said Schonberger's explanation of getting the registration number of the Robinson R22 to make a complaint to the Civil Aviation Authority was just an excuse to make him sound reasonable, because there were other ways to get the number.
Mr Bamford said pilot Christopher Boyce was extremely safety conscious and had an "understandable paranoia" that the lights would affect him. He said Mr Boyce did not say in evidence that the lights dazzled him, only that they were a hazard.
Schonberger was merely trying to get the attention of the pilot to say he was watching and to collect evidence to make a complaint to the Civil Aviation Authority.
Schonberger lived near the vineyard and was upset by helicopters flying over his property.
- The Marlborough Express
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