Gaie Delap, a 77-year-old activist from Bristol, is facing a return to prison because she has small wrists that prevent an electronic tag from being fitted to monitor her under a home detention curfew. Delap was initially jailed for her involvement in disruptive protests on the M25 in November 2022 but was released early to serve the rest of her sentence at home.
However, the company responsible for fitting the tag was unable to find a suitable device for her due to health conditions, leading to a warrant for her arrest. Delap’s brother, Mick, spoke on her behalf, expressing concern over her well-being and the situation. He highlighted her various health issues and the inability to wear an ankle tag due to the risk of deep-vein thrombosis.
The tagging system is managed under a Ministry of Justice contract, and Delap’s case has raised questions about the efficacy and fairness of the system. Her MP, Carla Denyer, criticized the disproportionate sentence given to Delap for peaceful and non-violent protests aiming to raise awareness about the climate emergency.
Denyer called on the prisons minister to address the situation and emphasized that Delap poses no threat to society. The Ministry of Justice and Serco, the company managing Electronic Monitoring Services, said they were investigating the issue. Delap’s case reflects the challenges faced by activists and raises concerns about the treatment of peaceful protesters in the criminal justice system.
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