Roofer, 28, who crossed the Irish Sea on a JET SKI to visit his girlfriend is jailed
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-hour journey
- Dale McLaughlan made daring trip despite never driving such a vehicle before
- After reaching land, he had to trek another 15 miles on foot to see his partner
- The 28-year-old was jailed for four weeks after admitting arriving unlawfully
- Do you know Dale McLaughlan? Get in touch: tom.pyman@mailonline.co.uk
A roofer who spent four-and-a-half hours on a jet ski crossing the Irish Sea to visit his girlfriend during lockdown has been jailed for breaking coronavirus rules.
Dale McLaughlan made the daring trip from the Isle of Whithorn in Scotland to Ramsey on the Isle of Man on Friday, despite never driving such a vehicle before.
He thought the crossing would only take him 40 minutes, but was on the water for far longer, then also had to trek 15 miles on foot before finally arriving at the door of his lover, Jessica Radcliffe, according to the BBC.
McLaughlan had met his partner on a previous trip to the island, where she believed he also lived, but when he was denied permission to return due to local border rules, he turned to the jet ski instead.
When quizzed on his address, McLaughlan gave officers Miss Radcliffe’s instead of his own, and the couple went out clubbing together.
But he was arrested later that weekend after police made identification checks.
A graphic shows the 25-mile trip Dale McLaughlan made from Scotland to the Isle of Man, breaking coronavirus restrictions, to see his girlfriend
He made the daring trip from the Isle of Whithorn in Scotland to Ramsey on the Isle of Man on Friday despite never driving such a vehicle before. File picture
After the four-and-a-half-hour journey, he arrived at Ramsey harbour, pictured, on Friday
Island rules mean those who aren’t residents need special permission to enter, which McLaughlan didn’t have.
The 28-year-old, of Warrix Avenue in Irvine, North Ayrshire, admitted arriving unlawfully on the island and was jailed for four weeks.
A court was told how McLaughlan was given the green light for four weeks in September and met his new partner on a night out, having isolated for the first 14 days.
He made subsequent applications to return and was rejected, but bought the jet ski and set off on the 25-mile voyage regardless.
McLaughlan then walked to Douglas, home of his girlfriend, who thought he’d been working on the island for several weeks.
The next day, he gave a police officer her address as his own and the couple went to two busy nightclubs, but after checks were made, he was arrested on the Sunday evening.
The court was told in mitigation the roofer suffered from depression and was struggling with not being allowed to see his partner.
In sentencing, Deputy High Bailiff 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.
He added that the defendant’s ‘carefully planned’ journey had also put McLaughlan himself ‘at very real risk’ of harm.
Public health officials were satisfied there was no wider 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 just got the message just now about it. 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: ‘He’ll be missing his kids over Christmas.’