A man who crossed the Irish sea on a jet ski to visit his girlfriend has been jailed for breaching Covid-19 laws.
The Douglas Courthouse heard how the 28-year-old man took the four-and-a-half hour journey from the Isle of Whithorn, Scotland, to Ramsey, last Friday all in the name of love.
Dad Dale McLaughlan, from North Ayrshire, Scotland, made the long crossing despite never having driven a jet ski before before trying the perilous journey to reach his girlfriend.
He admitted arriving unlawfully on the island and was jailed for four weeks, the BBC reports.
Under the island’s current laws, non-residents need special permission to enter the Isle of Man.
McLaughlan didn’t have permission, but made the four-and-a-half hour journey anyway.
He had previously been given permission to work as a roofer on the island for four weeks in September.
It was here, after isolating for 14 days, that he met his girlfriend on a night out.
His subsequent application to return was rejected, the court heard, but he made the journey anyway.
From Irvine, McLaughlan travelled to the Isle of Whithorn where he made the 25-mile journey to the Isle of Man.
The court heard how the 28-year-old expected the journey to take about 40 minutes.
After he arrived at Ramsay at around 1pm, he then walked another 15 miles to his girlfriend’s home in Douglas.
The following afternoon, when stopped by a police officer, he gave his girlfriend’s address as his own and that evening the couple went to two busy nightclubs.
After identification checks, police eventually arrested him on Sunday evening.
McLaughlan’s defence argued he suffered from depression, and was struggling being unable to see his partner.
Deputy High Bailiff Christopher Arrowsmith said McLaughlan had purposely and intentionally tried to get around the restrictions of the Isle of Man, potentially putting the community at risk.
The journey also put the 28-year-old at “very real risk” of harm.
A government spokesman said following an investigation, public health officials were "satisfied" there was no wider risk to the public.
McLaughlan’s mother Alison said she had no idea of her son’s exploits until friends messaged her about it.
Alison told The Sun : “I didn’t even know about the jet ski. I just don’t know why he did it - he could have killed himself.
“He’ll be missing his kids over Christmas.”
