Lockdowns can be tough especially for couples who have not been able to see each other for months. In one such desperate attempt, a man crossed the Irish Sea from Scotland on a jet ski to visit his girlfriend in the Isle of Man but ended up being arrested for violating Covid-19 guidelines.
As per a BBC report, 28-year-old Dale McLaughlan took four-and-a-half hours to travel from the Isle of Whithorn along the Scottish west coast to Ramsey on the east coast of Isle of Man to visit his partner. He made this daring attempt despite never having driven a water scooter before. More so, he believed the trip was only going to take him 40 minutes, but it actually took four and a half hours.
Once he reached Ramsey, he walked about 25 km to his girlfriend’s house and gave her address to the police, claiming that it was his own. However, the police arrested him the next day after identification checks. He was sentenced to four weeks in jail on Monday .
Notably, the island has been closed to non-residents since March with only a few exceptions. As per Covid-19 regulations, non-residents of the island are required to take proper permission, before visiting. Violators could face three months in jail or a maximum fine of 10,000 pounds (approximately $13,500).
After his arrest, defence lawyer said that McLaughlan suffered from depression and was not coping with being unable to see his partner. His lawyer even claimed that he had applied for a fresh permit twice, but his request was denied on both occasions.
Isle of Man’s Chief Minister Howard Quayle told New York Times, ”This individual was aware of the law and showed a flagrant disregard when they chose to break it, mixing in the community and potentially putting lives at risk. On the Isle of Man, we’re all for ingenuity. But unfortunately, this was an incredibly reckless, dangerous endeavor, which could have ended very differently given the time of year.”