Man who rode jetski from Scotland to Isle of Man to see girlfriend jailed for Covid breach

A Scottish man has reportedly been jailed for breaching coronavirus rules after he rode a jetski from Scotland to the Isle of Man to see his girlfriend.

Dale McLaughlan (28) from North Ayrshire met his girlfriend in September while working as a roofer on the Isle of Man, the BBC reported.

On Friday, determined to see her despite coronavirus rules banning non-residents from entering the island without special permission, he made the four-and-a-half-hour journey by jetski despite never having driven a personal watercraft before. He had expected the journey to take 40 minutes, prosecutors said.

His defence lawyer said in court that Mr McLaughlan suffered from depression and was struggling to cope without his girlfriend. He admitted arriving unlawfully on the island and was sentenced to four weeks in jail.

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Deputy high bailiff Christopher Arrowsmith said Mr McLaughlan’s “deliberate and intentional attempt to circumnavigate” the restrictions had posed a risk to himself and the island’s residents.

After departing the Isle of Whithorn in the morning and arriving in the northern town of Ramsey at 1pm, McLaughlan walked 25km (15 miles) to its capital, Douglas.

He gave a policeman his girlfriend’s address as his own. The couple attended two busy nightclubs before he was caught on Sunday following identification checks. – Guardian