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Roofer, 28, who crossed the Irish Sea from Scotland to the Isle of Man on a JET SKI to visit his girlfriend, is jailed for four weeks for breaking Covid rules after four and a half hours of travel.
- Dale McLaughlan took a daring trip even though he had never driven such a vehicle before
- After making landfall, he had to walk another 15 miles on foot to see his partner.
- The 28-year-old was jailed for four weeks after admitting to arriving illegally
- Do you know Dale McLaughlan? Contact: [email protected]
A roofer who spent four and a half hours on a jet ski crossing the Irish Sea to visit his girlfriend has been jailed for breaking coronavirus rules.
Dale McLaughlan made the daring journey from the Isle of Whithorn in Scotland to Ramsey on the Isle of Man on Friday, even though he had never driven such a vehicle before.
He thought the crossing would only take him 40 minutes, but he was in the water for much longer, then he also had to walk 15 miles on foot before finally reaching the door of his lover, Jessica Radcliffe, according to the BBC.
McLaughlan had met her partner on a previous work trip to the island, where she believed he lived, too, but when she was denied permission to return due to local border rules, she turned to the jet ski.
When asked about his address, McLaughlan gave the officers Miss Radcliffe’s instead of his own, and the couple went dancing together.
But he was arrested later that weekend after police ran ID checks.
One graphic shows Dale McLaughlan’s 25-mile journey from Scotland to the Isle of Man, breaking coronavirus restrictions, to see his girlfriend.
He made the daring journey from the Isle of Whithorn in Scotland to Ramsey on the Isle of Man on Friday even though he had never driven such a vehicle before. Stock Image
After the four-and-a-half hour journey, he arrived at the port of Ramsey, pictured, on Friday.
The island’s rules mean that those who are not residents need a special permit to enter, which McLaughlan did not have.
The 28-year-old from Warrix Avenue in Irvine, North Ayrshire, admitted to arriving on the island illegally and was jailed for four weeks.
A court was told that McLaughlan was given the green light for four weeks in September to do some roofing work, and that he met his new partner on a night out, after being isolated for the first 14 days.
He made subsequent requests to return and was turned down, but purchased the jet ski and undertook the 25-mile journey regardless.
After making landfall, McLaughlan walked to Douglas, home of Miss Radcliffe, who he thought had been working on the island for several weeks.
The next day, he gave a police officer his address as his own and the couple went to two busy nightclubs.
However, after identification checks were done, he was arrested Sunday night.
The court was told as mitigation that the roofer suffered from depression and was struggling not to see his partner.
In sentencing, Deputy Chief Sheriff Christopher Arrowsmith said McLaughlan had made a “deliberate and intentional attempt to circumnavigate” the island’s rules and was potentially putting the community at risk.
The current ‘Level 4’ system allows those living on the island to take non-essential trips beyond, but they must isolate themselves for 14 days upon return.
However, those who do not live on the island must complete a registration form and obtain an entry certificate in order to enter.
Arrowsmith added that the defendant’s “carefully planned” trip had also put McLaughlan himself “at very real risk” of harm.
Public health officials were satisfied that there was no increased risk to the public as a result of the incident, it was reported after the hearing.
Speaking at her home in Irvine last night, McLaughlan’s mother, Allison, 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. ‘
Miss McLaughlan added: ‘You will miss your children during Christmas.’
