A barrister who shone a laser pen at a police helicopter has been disbarred.

Birmingham-based lawyer Mohammed Riaz was sentenced to eight months in jail in 2012 after he "recklessly acted in a manner likely to endanger a West Midlands Police Helicopter" by shooting a green light beam at it. Last week the Bar Tribunal ruled that risking the deaths of police officers by temporarily blinding their pilot like a Poundland Bond villain also constituted "conduct discreditable to a barrister."

Riaz's other victims were delighted with the verdict.

Criminal defence barrister Riaz, who was admitted to the Bar in 2009, has now been disbarred.

Although he should probably never have been allowed to become a barrister in the first place. When Riaz applied to become a student member of Middle Temple in 2008, he lied, declaring that he hadn't been convicted of any relevant criminal offence.  When in fact he'd been convicted of shoplifting in 2004 and of dishonestly receiving and handling stolen goods (laser pens?) in 2005. Heartwarmingly, everyone took him at his word, until he confronted Birmingham's finest with a cat toy.