Coronavirus: Isle of Man woman jailed for fuel stop on return from UK visit

Amie Murphy arrived back on the island on 18 September

A woman who stopped to buy petrol after returning to the Isle of Man by ferry has been jailed for breaking the island's Covid-19 laws.

Amie Murphy, 36 and of Queen's Pier Road in Ramsey, previously admitted failing to go straight home on 18 September.

Under the island's Covid-19 rules, all travellers returning to the Isle of Man are required to self-isolate for a mandatory period.

Magistrates jailed her for four weeks.

She was also sentenced to one week, to run concurrently, after admitting resisting arrest.

No pleas were entered to two charges of driving offences, and her next appearance at Douglas Courthouse will be on 15 October.

The court heard Murphy and a friend had arrived back on the island on the Ben-My-Chree shortly after 05:00 BST.

A staff member helped her to fill out a landing card and explained the rules on self-isolation, which she agreed to.

The fuel warning light on her car came on as she left the ferry port and she stopped at a petrol station in Laxey.

She told the assistant she had "just got off the boat" and he opened the forecourt early for her.

She was reported to police after he told his manager about the events later that morning.

When arrested she became aggressive and refused to go with officers, the court heard.

Her defence said she had been in a "tired state" and had shown a "serious lapse of judgement".

Peter Taylor said she had not realised her car was low on fuel and did not believe that stopping to fill up was "an unreasonable thing to do".

Sentencing Murphy, magistrates said the island was doing its "very best to keep Covid-19 out" and the rules had been explained to her.