Gaie Delap, a 77-year-old environmental activist is expected to spend Christmas in prison despite having been released on an electronic tag, because the authorities cannot find an electronic device small enough to fit her wrists.
Recall that Delap, a retired teacher and a Quaker from Bristol, was jailed in August, along with four co-defendants, for taking part in a campaign of disruptive Just Stop Oil protests on the M25 in November 2022.
She was released in November to serve the rest of her sentence under a home detention curfew. But the private company contracted to fit the tag to Delap was unable to attach one to her ankle because of a health condition and did not have a tag available small enough to fit wrists her size.
With no device monitoring her, an arrest warrant was issued two weeks ago. Delap has been at home with her suitcase packed since then, waiting for police to knock on her door. On Friday evening, police arrived and took her to Eastwood Park prison in Gloucestershire.
Delap’s supporters fear that not only will she now have to spend Christmas in prison, but may also have to serve the remainder of her sentence behind bars.
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Delap, who has various health problems, could not wear an ankle tag because she was at risk of deep-vein thrombosis. The same issue with tagging arose when she was on bail and a “doorstep curfew” was agreed from 7pm to 7am, with random checks incorporated. Such an alternative was not offered this time.
A statement from Delap’s brother Mick Delap and a former probation officer and friend, Mike Campbell, said: “We are outraged by Gaie’s recall to prison. We know this is cruel, and totally unnecessary. We know there are alternatives to the tag. We know that if she had been a man, a tag would have been available.
“Gaie is absolutely no threat to the community. This recall to prison is a ridiculous waste of resources and money. We want common sense to prevail and ask for her rerelease.”
At the time of Delap’s sentence, her MP, Carla Denyer, said she had deep concern over the “disproportionate sentence” given to Delap, whose actions were “entirely peaceful and non-violent and designed to draw attention to the threat posed by the climate emergency”.
Denyer previously said: “My jaw hit the floor when I heard about this case. It’s beyond absurd. I have gone straight to the prisons minister, Lord Timpson, about this case. This is a disproportionate crackdown on climate protesters. It’s clear that Gaie poses no threat to her fellow citizens.”
Story was adapted from the Guardian.
