A DAD who travelled 25 miles across the Irish Sea on a JET SKI to visit his girlfriend has been caged for breaching Covid laws.
Dale McLaughlan, 28, made the bonkers trip from Whithorn, Dumfriesshire, to the Isle of Man on Friday morning.
The island’s Douglas Courthouse heard it took the roofer, from Irvine, Ayrshire, four-and-a-half hours to make the sea trip – after thinking it could be done in 40 minutes.
The BBC reports he safely arrived on Ramsey despite never driving a water scooter before.
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Determined McLaughlan then walked 15 miles to the island’s capital town of Douglas where his girlfriend lives.
Slamming his reckless behaviour tonight, his stunned mum said: “He could have killed himself.”
Under the Isle of Man’s current laws, only non-locals with special permission are allowed to enter the island.
McLaughlan was previously given a four-week pass to work as a roofer in September and, after isolating for 14 days, met his girlfriend on a night out.
But the court heard an application to return to the island after this had expired was rejected.
Prosecutors said McLaughlan gave a police officer his girlfriend’s address as his own on Saturday and later that night, the couple went to two nightclubs.
Following identification checks, cops nicked him on Sunday.
In court, the 28-year-old’s defence lawyer said he suffered from depression and was struggling without seeing his partner.
McLaughlan admitted arriving unlawfully on the island and was jailed for four weeks.
Sentencing him, Deputy High Bailiff Christopher Arrowsmith said McLaughlan had made a “deliberate and intentional attempt to circumnavigate” the border restrictions, potentially putting the community at risk.
He said the “carefully planned” journey had also put the 28-year-old “at very real risk” of harm.
Speaking from her home in Irvine, Ayrshire, tonight, McLaughlan’s mum Allison said she had no idea of her son’s exploits until pals messaged her.
She said: “He was supposed to be going over for work but as far as I know they put it off till January 11.
“I didn’t even know about the jetski.
“I just don’t know why he did it – he could have killed himself.
“He’ll be missing his kids over Christmas.”
