No exemption certificate has been issued to jet ski Romeo Dale McLaughlan allowing him to return to the island.

And iomtoday has seen a copy of Mr McLaughlan’s entry certificate from September which raises a question over whether he complied with the rules when he first met Jessica Radcliffe in a bar.

The self-employed roofer, 28, made headlines worldwide when he crossed the Irish Sea by jet ski to visit his lover.

Mr McLaughlan returned to Scotland last week after serving just under half of his four-week jail term for breaching the island’s Covid entry regulations.

He boarded the Ben-my-Chree to Heysham as a foot passenger on Wednesday.

His girlfriend told iomtoday last week that he was due to return to the island on January 11 for roofing work.

But it’s been confirmed that no entry certificate for this has been issued.

Mr McLaughlan had visited the island lawfully in September, which is when he met Jessica Radcliffe in the 1886 bar.

He was allowed to travel here for worked deemed to be in the island’s economic interests. He was helping to finish a construction project that began before the pandemic.

His exemption certificate covers the period September 13 to October 2.

The certificate made it quiet clear that during his stay in the island he had to self-isolate at all time outside of work, wear a mask in public spaces and only travel to the authorised locations - his place of work and his accommodation.

’You are not permitted to attend or socialise at any other place or premises (eg shops, restaurants, bars) whether indoor or outdoors’, the certificate states.

Failure to comply with these restrictions could lead to three months’ custody and a fine of up to £10,000.

These conditions would be lifted after he spent 14 consecutive days here in what is termed ’modified self-isolation’.

Ms Radcliffe told iomtoday that she met Mr McLaughlan on September 19 and again on September 25, both these were within 14 days of his arrival.

A copy of the (redacted) exemption certificate was provided to Peel-based information campaigner Trevor Cowin following a request to Chief Minister Howard Quayle.

Replying on behalf of Mr Quayle, Joanne Taylor, head of the travel notification service, said: 'I can confirm that the exemption referred to was not in relation to critical national infrastructure.

'As you will know, there are several categories under which a key worker exemption can be granted, with critical national infrastructure being only one of them.

'In this particular case, the exemption was issued in relation to the economic interests of the island.

'This type of exemption only qualifies if it supports the wider economy in operating.

'This case supported the completion of a construction project that commenced before the pandemic, which needed to be finished and which in itself provided local employment. It also stabilised the operations of a key supplier to the construction sector through securing its building and stock.

'Therefore the exemption was approved in the economic interests of the island.

'All risk assessments and risk mitigations were in place as you would expect, and as is the case for every category of key worker exemption.'

Asked by Mr Cowin for a copy of any exemption certificate issued in relation to Mr McLaughlan's planned return in January, Ms Taylor replied: 'There is no further exemption certificate to provide.'

Changes to border restriction announced last week mean that key worker exemptions will be restricted to health workers and national infrastructure.