A teenager has been sentenced to four weeks in custody after breaching Covid-19 restrictions.

Morgan John Ritchie, of Derby Road, Douglas, got a bus to Castletown where he spent the night before heading back to the capital in the morning.

The 17-year-old admitted breaching Covid-19 restrictions relating to prohibition on movement.

Prosecuting advocate Hazel Carroon told the court that Ritchie had been given a formal warning following a breach of restrictions back in May last year during the first lockdown when he was a juvenile.

He was then given regular education by care workers relating to the regulations.

On January 12, Ritchie was again given advice by a police officer about the restrictions.

Despite this, on January 22, a witness at Cronk Sollysh, the secure care home for young people in Derby Road where Ritchie lives, reported him leaving the property with another resident.

Twenty minutes later the other resident returned but Ritchie did not.

When he did return he told staff at the care home that he was staying out and was going camping.

Ritchie then left the property and didn’t come back midday the next day, staying out all night.

He was subsequently arrested and taken to police headquarters.

When police searched him they found a bus ticket for a journey from Douglas to Castletown on January 22 and a return ticket for the following day.

When asked where he had been Ritchie said he had been camping alone all night and had not been in contact with anyone.

However, despite there being hail and snow on the evening in question the teenager was completely dry.

When officially interviewed Ritchie handed in a prepared statement saying he had left the care home at 9.30pm on January 22 because he was suffering from anxiety.

He said he went for a walk because he was feeling bad and claimed that he was known for going for long walks when he felt this way.

He claimed that he walked all night and ended up in Castletown then got the bus back to Douglas when he felt better.

Ritchie said that he did not meet anyone or visit any houses.

When questioned about his camping story he said that he had only been joking.

Police challenged him about the bus tickets which showed him travelling on a bus to Castletown at 10.30pm and then one at 11.11am the next morning but he would give no explanation for the tickets or the fact that he appeared dry, despite his claim that he walked all night.

Defence advocate Jane Gray said that the prosecution facts were accepted and asked for credit to be given for her client’s guilty plea.

’He is still a very young man and still in the care of the department,’ said the advocate.

Ms Gray said: ’There is no evidence he met up with anyone or entered any premises. He has been charged with having no reason for his journey.’

The advocate went on to say that Ritchie had been in custody since January 23.

The court heard that he is currently the subject of a probation order, imposed in December.

High Bailiff Jayne Hughes told Ritchie that she had to bear in mind that he had been given warnings during the recent lockdown and the previous one.

Mrs Hughes said: ’Fortunately we are out of lockdown. We are out of lockdown because the vast majority of people complied with restrictions.’

Ritchie will serve the sentence at Cronk Sollysh.