A North Ayrshire man has been jailed for his desperate attempt to see his girlfriend by jet skiing across the Irish Sea.

Dale McLaughlan, of Irvine, was arrested on Sunday after he landed on the Isle of Man violating the island's COVID-19 laws.

McLaughlan's daring attempt was made in spite of him having never driven a water scooter before - which he had bought specifically for the trip, BBC News reported.

The 28-year-old entered the isle from the Isle of Whithorn, Dumfriesshire, through the sea route without taking proper permission.

He arrived on Friday at around 1pm after the four-hour journey which he had thought would only take 40 minutes.

Irvine Times:

Following the around 25-mile sea journey, McLaughlan then walked a further 15 miles from the town of Ramsey to the island's capital, Douglas where his girlfriend lives.

On Saturday, he gave Isle of Man police his partner's address as his own and the pair went to two busy nightclubs. McLaughlan, of Warrix Avenue, was arrested the next day following identity checks.

Under the island's current laws, only non-residents given special permission can enter the Isle of Man.

McLaughlan has previously been given permission to work on the island for four weeks in September as a roofer. After isolating for two weeks, he met his girlfriend for a night out. But his subsequent applications to return to the island had been rejected.

In mitigation, McLaughlan's defence advocate said he suffered from depression and was not coping with being unable to see his partner.

Sentencing him, Deputy High Bailiff Christopher Arrowsmith said the 'carefully planned' journey had put the 28-year-old 'at very real risk' of harm.

He said the 'deliberate and intentional attempt to circumnavigate' the border restrictions could have put the community at risk.

McLaughlan admitted arriving unlawfully on the island and was jailed for four weeks.

Following the hearing, a government spokesman said following an investigation, public health officials were 'satisfied' there was 'no wider risk to the public'.