A man shone a laser pen at the Police Scotland helicopter piloted by David Traill the day before he lost his life in the Clutha tragedy.

Colin Lochrie, 31, targeted the aircraft as it flew over his home in the west end of Glasgow before it headed back to the heliport on November 28, 2013.

Mr Traill was forced to take evasive action to save his vision being affected by the green light that repeatedly lit up the cockpit.

Those in the helicopter were able to alert police on foot and Lochrie was arrested. He admitted shining the pen at the aircraft and told officers: "I wanted to see what it was doing."

At Glasgow Sheriff Court, Lochrie pleaded guilty to culpably and recklessly directing the laser beam at the helicopter, putting the crew in danger.

Sheriff Bill Totten told the court: "I wish to emphasise that this is not a case in which Mr Lochrie made a deliberate attempt to impair the pilot's vision."

He added, however, there was a "clear need to punish anyone who commits this serious crime".

Lochrie was jailed for 14 months, reduced from 18 months for pleading guilty.

Procurator fiscal depute Mark Allan said the crew became aware of the beam being directed towards the helicopter, causing the pilot to take evasive action.

Mr Allan said: "The potential danger in that act would be obvious to the court."

The court was told: "Information was passed from those within the helicopter to those who were on foot patrol locally.

"They were able to identify a particular room within a tenement block at Cecil Street in the west end of Glasgow."

Defence lawyer Ian McLelland told the court: "His position is he heard the helicopter and thought something may be happening and used the pen in an effort to see that more clearly.

"He had bought the pen from Amazon as he used it when he occasionally gave some lectures to friends in relation to Zen Buddhism."

Mr McLelland added: "He always presents as somewhat eccentric both in the person and in thought processes."