A 14th offender has been jailed for breaking the Isle of Man’s strict isolation rules since quarantine regulations for people travelling to the island were changed in August.

Jake Lester Geoffrey Waring admitted breaching the rules by going to McDonald’s two days after arriving in the island. He was jailed for six weeks.

Instead of isolating for 14 days the 20-year-old went out with friends to the fast food outlet and the Wessex garage.

Prosecuting advocate Roger Kane told the court that Waring arrived on October 16 on the ferry from Birkenhead.

He was classed as a returning resident so was required to isolate for two weeks once he had arrived.

However, Waring was said to have met friends at the Villa Marina gardens on Sunday, October 18, then walked along Strand Street and Athol Street and to the fast food outlet on Peel Road. The group then went on to the Wessex garage.

Two women were said to have reported him to the police.

Officers arrested him at his home in Murray’s Road, Douglas. At police headquarters he responded ’no comment’ to all questions.

Appearing in court via video link from police headquarters on Tuesday and wearing a mask, he pleaded guilty to failing to comply with Covid-19 restrictions under the Emergency Powers Act.

The court heard that he has no previous convictions.

Defence advocate Jane Gray said that Waring had family in the island and family in Birkenhead.

Ms Gray said she had concerns regarding her client’s understanding of matters as he had been accompanied by an appropriate adult at the police station.

The advocate said that Waring had been warned verbally at the Sea Terminal about going out and by his family but claimed that he had ’forgot’ and thought that the rules were the same as in Liverpool.

Ms Gray said that Waring suffered from ADHD and anxiety though he was not on medication for either, and initially asked for a probation report to be prepared before sentencing which would have required an adjournment.

Prosecutor Mr Kane opposed bail if an adjournment was to be granted saying that Waring had applied to come to the island two weeks before this incident, on different grounds, so there was no doubt he had a full understanding of the law.

Mr Kane said that there had also been mention of Waring being out on Saturday, October 17, though he had not been charged with that.

High Bailiff Jayne Hughes said that she would be refusing bail so Ms Gray asked for the sentence to be suspended, taking into account her client’s young age, his guilty plea, and previous good character.

Mrs Hughes told Waring: ’We are in an extremely difficult time in the Isle of Man. We are extremely lucky to have the freedom we do. The reason we have this freedom is because the authorities have been strict. You have come from a high-risk area. A very clear message needs to go out from the court to anyone breaching Covid regulations.’