A man has been jailed for a second time for breaching Covid-19 restrictions.

Justin Christopher Hughes’ first offence was committed in September.

This time his offence involved breaking rules by living with a friend who was not self-isolating.

Under the rules, they should not have been living in the same property. Hughes, of Parsonage Road, Ramsey, admitted the offence.

He told magistrates: ’I can only hold my hands up and apologise. I haven’t shown any symptoms. I have come to the conclusion I’m safer in prison.

’I don’t have to worry where food is coming from. Being in the flat for 15 days was very difficult, more stressful than being looked after by prison staff.’

Magistrates sentenced the 48-year-old to six weeks in custody.

Prosecuting advocate Rachael Braidwood told the court that Hughes had travelled from the UK to the island on January 17, arriving on the ferry from Heysham at 6pm.

He was given his direction notice regarding isolating and told the Ports Access Team he would not be breaching the rules as he had done previously.

He then got a taxi home.

On February 2, isolation checks were being performed but when the team checking on Hughes rang the buzzer at his flat another man answered on the intercom and said that Hughes was in the bathroom.

Hughes then appeared at the front door but would not identify who had spoken on the intercom.

Police arrived and again rang the buzzer, getting a reply from the unknown man again, who said that Hughes was in the bedroom this time.

He was subsequently arrested but told police: ’You will have to drag me out.’

He was carried out as he became verbally abusive.

The flat was said to be a property with just one bathroom.

The court heard that Hughes was jailed in September for four weeks for a Covid-19 regulation breach.

Hughes represented himself in court as he appeared via video link from the prison. He told the court he had sat in a taxi two feet away from the driver for a 45-minute journey.

He claimed he had slept in a sleeping bag at the property, isolated himself from the other man and had not left the premises.

Hughes argued that since his arrest he had been in contact with around 50 people over seven days, which he said was far worse than the situation in the flat.

Chair of the magistrates Anita Ardern told Hughes: ’In spite of being asymptomatic you could have been putting the community at risk.’

No order for costs was made.

More than 50 people have been sent to jail for breaking the island’s Covid-19 rules since the pandemic began.