Scotsman Dale McLaughlan, 28, was arrested for allegedly violating coronavirus restrictions after traveling in a jet ski from Scotland to the Isle of Man to see his girlfriend.
According to the The GuardianMcLaughlan met his girlfriend in September, and on Friday he was determined to see her, eventually breaking the restrictions imposed, which prohibit non-residents from entering the island without special authorization.
After leaving the island of Whithorn in the morning and arriving illegally in the town of Ramsey, in the north of the island, at 1 pm, McLaughlan walked 25 kilometers to Douglas, the capital. He gave a policeman his girlfriend’s address as his own and the couple still went to two clubs before being picked up on Sunday following identification checks.
McLaughlan’s defense lawyer argued in court that he was suffering from depression and that he would be having trouble coping with his girlfriend’s absence. But deputy bailiff Christopher Arrowsmith said McLaughlan’s “deliberate and intentional attempt” to circumvent the restrictions had posed a risk to himself and the island’s residents, so he was sentenced to four weeks in prison.
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