Environmental Activist Re-imprisoned Over Electronic Tag Complications

An environmental activist, aged 77, has been sent back to prison following complications with her electronic monitoring tag. Gaie Delap, a retired teacher residing in Montpelier, Bristol, received a 20-month prison sentence for her involvement in a Just Stop Oil demonstration that obstructed the M25 motorway in November 2022. Her release occurred on 18 November under a home detention curfew, but an electronic tag could not be affixed to her leg due to deep vein thrombosis, and the device proved too large for her wrist. The Ministry of Justice (MoJ) stated that individuals unable to be electronically monitored within the community would be sent back to prison, even if the inability to monitor them was not their fault. In a statement, her supporters asserted: “We know this is cruel, and totally unnecessary. We know there are alternatives to the tag.” They added, “Gaie is absolutely no threat to the community.” They further commented: “This recall to prison is a ridiculous waste of resources and money, and will cost the taxpayer £12,000 to keep Gaie in prison. “We cannot believe that there is not an electronic monitoring device that can be fitted at a fraction of the cost. We want common sense to prevail.” Ms Delap’s arrest took place at 18:30 GMT on Friday, after which she was transported to Eastwood Park Prison in Gloucestershire. The Member of Parliament for Bristol Central, Carla Denyer, has brought attention to Ms Delap’s situation, having corresponded with prisons minister Lord Timpson and the probation service. On X, she questioned: “Why is she facing this extra punishment of being locked up, for longer than she was meant to be, and over Christmas? “It’s not because she’s broken her bail conditions, it’s because the private company responsible for fitting electronic tags couldn’t find one the right size for her, and the authorities weren’t willing to consider alternatives like daily check-ins at the police station,”. The MoJ clarified that under the home scheme, offenders must observe an electronically monitored curfew for a minimum of nine hours daily. The MoJ further stated: “Where it is no longer possible to electronically monitor offenders in the community, through no fault of their own, they will be recalled until it is possible for them to monitored in the community.”