Scottish man entered Manx territorial waters
A fisherman from the UK flouted lockdown laws when he brought a Manx-registered boat to Peel, a court's heard.
Thirty-nine-year-old Neil MacDonald of Oban in Scotland appeared before High Bailiff Jayne Hughes at Douglas courthouse.
He admitted one count of entering the Island illegally under the Emergency Powers Act.
Prosecution advocate Rebecca Cubbon told the hearing staff at the Department of Environment, Food and Agriculture alerted police after tracking the Zephyr arriving at Peel Breakwater on 19 April.
MacDonald told police he'd been in Scotland when Isle of Man Seafoods told him to pick up a crew member and drop off £2,000 worth of fish he'd caught, assuring him he wouldn't break the law if he stayed on the boat.
But the court heard by entering Manx territorial waters, he'd broken the laws which closed the Island's borders on 27 March.
Mrs Hughes told him the courts treated breaches of the coronavirus regulations very seriously and many people had already been jailed for defying them – but added they'd all been given warnings before being charged.
She imposed a £5,000 fine, also ordering him to pay £125 towards prosecution costs.
MacDonald was told he'd have to pay immediately or face going to prison for 90 days.
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