MEDIA STATEMENT FROM FAMILY AND FRIENDS OF GAIE DELAP
Summary: 77 year old Gaie Delap released early on home detention curfew (HDC) to be returned to prison because tagging company unable to fit tag.
Gaie was sentenced, alongside four co-defendants, to 20 months imprisonment in August 2024 for her part in a climate action protest on the M25 in November 2022. Four (including Gaie) have been released early, three of whom have been successfully tagged. Gaie was released on 18th November on a home detention curfew (7pm to 7am) with a tag. The tagging system is operated by Electronic Monitoring Services (EMS), managed under contract from the Ministry of Justice, by Serco.
When EMS visited a tag was unable to be fitted to Gaie’s ankle because of a health condition so EMS tried, but failed, to fit a tag to her wrist. Yesterday [5th December] we discovered that a warrant for Gaie’s arrest has been issued and she is due to return to prison for no other reason than a tag small enough could not be fitted to her wrist. EMS have confirmed that, in their communication with the prison, the phrase used was ‘an inability to monitor’ with no reference to a tag not fitting, and that the case was no longer within their remit. EMS appear to have washed their hands of the situation.
The director of HMP Peterborough, where she served her sentence, has therefore ordered the recall despite there being no fault on Gaie’s part. She has complied with all conditions of the curfew since her early release on 18th November and has maintained regular contact with her probation officer. On 5th December Gaie was told by her probation officer that the matter had been taken out of probation’ hands and is now in the hands of the director of HMP Peterborough.
However today [Friday 6th December] an EMS officer contradicted this information and clearly stated that responsibility to recall Gaie remains in the hands of the probation service. As family and friends we are aware of failures in the tagging system and this case appears to be a miscarriage of justice. We have been in touch with the probation service who are supportive of Gaie but we believe the matter has been taken out of their hands. Gaie is caught in a nightmarish triangulation of miscommunication, confusion and injustice involving EMS, the prison and probation services.
We are in touch with MPs (local MP Carla Denyer and Peterborough MP Andrew Pakes) who have taken up her case today, and Gaie’s legal team is pursuing legal channels to reverse this decision. Her GP has tried to contact the prison director on account of Gaie’s medical conditions and the fact that she has two urgent hospital appointments on 10th December, but the Director of the Prison did not take or return the calls.
We are seeking support for Gaie. Please ring HMP Peterborough on 01733 217500 and ask to speak to, or leave a message for, the Director Ralph Lubkowski requesting he reverse the decision to recall Gaie.
Mick Delap: 07977 494178
Mike Campbell: 07891 432224
ENDS
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