Covid Isle of Man: Four weeks in jail for man who ignored Covid rules

Christopher Christian appeared at Douglas Courthouse via live link

A man who visited a shop to top up the credit on his mobile phone has been jailed for breaking the Isle of Man's coronavirus laws.

Christopher Christian admitted going to a Co-Op store in Douglas on Wednesday when he should have been in quarantine.

Under current Manx laws, travellers returning to the Isle of Man are required to self-isolate for up to 21 days.

The 45-year-old was jailed on Saturday for four weeks.

Christian had returned to the island by ferry on 15 March and was given a direction notice requiring him to self-isolate, the hearing at Douglas Courthouse was told.

But two days later he walked to the Co-Op store on Duke Street to buy phone credit and other items, greeting someone he met along the way by shaking their hand.

When inside the shop he appeared intoxicated and had to be asked by a member of staff to step back from the counter after ignoring social distancing rules.

During the conversation he admitted he should have been in isolation.

He was reported to police.

'Nomadic lifestyle'

Christian had been visited that same day at his address on Lord Street in Douglas by the Travel Notification Service team.

He told them he understood the Covid rules and had organised for his mother to buy groceries for him.

When police arrived later, Christian was not there.

After handing himself in during the early hours of Friday morning, he admitted he had also visited the Tesco store on Lake Road but had been refused service.

His defence advocate said he lived a "somewhat nomadic lifestyle" and had believed he was allowed to leave his home to buy food as long as he was wearing a mask.

Deputy High Bailiff Christopher Arrowsmith said the breach had been a deliberate act and the risk to the public from his conduct was "obvious".