Hunger drives man to breach self-isolation

Tuesday 27 April 2021

A 22-year-old man has been given a four-week suspended sentence, and slapped with a £3,500 fine, for breaking self-isolation on the day he arrived in the island.

Andreas Milan arrived in Guernsey on 29 March from Southampton. He was required at the time to self-isolate until a day 13 negative test.

Milan was given the self-isolation guidance all arrivals receive when he got to Guernsey Airport. Border Officers then visited Milan at his address in St Peter Port, two hours after he arrived, at 16:15.

During their discussion with Milan, officers were told that his landlord had bought food and left bags at his flat in preparation for the two-week isolation period.

Pictured: Milan offered his own mitigation and chose to defend himself, saying that he’d had two negative test results before leaving for the shops.

However, officers visited a local supermarket to view CCTV footage and positively identified Milan in the shop.

Milan declined legal advice and represented himself in the Magistrate’s Court before Judge Graeme McKerrell. Prosecution Advocate Rory Calderwood said Milan had explained his actions to Guernsey Police, with Milan expecting the shops at Southampton airport to be open for him to get food, only to find them closed. 

Milan said he hadn’t eaten for some time and hadn’t organised a food delivery for his arrival. He was relocating to the island for work and didn’t know anyone he could call to get food sent to his property.

“I was stressed and this led to a transgression,” said Milan while defending himself. Despite Milan wearing gloves and a mask to the shop, Judge McKerrell was unimpressed.

“It is idiots such as you that put the whole community at risk of going into lockdown,” he said.

Pictured: “It does not matter that you took precautions,” said Judge McKerrell.

Milan paid £2,800 of his £3,500 fine immediately, with the rest required by the end of the week. His four week prison sentence was suspended for two years, and will only be triggered if he commits further offences.