News / climate action
Montpelier grandma faces jail recall because authorities ‘can’t find a tag small enough’
Gaie Delap, a 77-year-old climate activist from Montpelier, is at risk of being sent back to prison because her wrists are too small for an electronic tag.
Gaie was sent to prison in August for her role in a Just Stop Oil protest on the M25 in November 2022.
In November 2022 Gaie and other climate activists scaled a M25 gantry which led to traffic disruption.
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At the time, Just Stop Oil said the action was taken to: “Demand that the government halts all new oil and gas licences and consents.”
In November 2022, Just Stop Oil activists climbed M25 gantries
In August Gaie, alongside four co-defendants, was sent to prison on a 20 month sentence.
In court Gaie said: “I’ve had to read the evidence of people who were stuck in our traffic, it hurts me.
“I’m sorry I had to do this. But we really have no other option.
“They didn’t listen to the scientists, they didn’t listen to their constituents, so we had to cause disruption in order to communicate the seriousness of humanity’s predicament.”
In August, Gaie received a 20 month prison sentence
Despite receiving a custodial sentence, Gaie was released on November 18 to serve the rest of her sentence on a home detention curfew (from 7am to 7pm each day).
In order to serve her sentence on a home detention curfew, Gaie is required to wear an electronic monitoring tag.
However, the government’s Electronic Monitoring Services (EMS) have been unable to fit her with a tag.
EMS were unable to attach a tag to Gaie’s ankle due to a health condition and so tried to attach a tag to her wrist.
There were no tags small enough to attach to Gaie’s wrist.
There is now a warrant out for Gaie’s arrest because the EMS has informed the prison service that Gaie cannot be monitored.
EMS are managed by Serco on behalf of the Ministry of Justice.
In a statement, Gaie’s family and friends said Gaie has been “caught in a nightmarish triangulation of miscommunication, confusion and injustice involving EMS, the prison and probation services”.
Gaie has two hospital appointments scheduled for December 10 and family and friends are concerned that she may miss them as a result of this warrant.
Gaie’s MP, Carla Denyer, said her “jaw hit the floor” when she heard about the warrant out for Gaie’s arrest and has since been in touch with prisons minister Lord Timpson.
The Ministry of Justice and Serco have said they are looking into this case.
All photos: Just Stop Oil
Read next:
- Extinction Rebellion protesters blockade Amazon’s Avonmouth warehouse
- Just Stop Oil protesters slowly march through Bristol
- Just Stop Oil activist arrested after targeting Bristol University
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