Just Stop Oil supporter Gaie Delap, a 78 year old grandmother, who has been recalled to prison as her wrists are too small to fit an electronic monitoring tag, has been told she must serve a further 20 days in prison for being “unlawfully at large”.
Gaie Delap took action in 2022 in support of Just Stop Oil’s demand to the government end all new licenses and consents for oil and gas projects, something which is now government policy. [1] [2]
Gaie was informed by prison authorities at HMP Eastwood Park, by means of a note slipped under her prison door, that she must serve extra time in prison to account for the time she spent “unlawfully at large”. This is accounted for by the days that followed Serco/EMS’s report of 28th November on their failure to fit an appropriate tag on her wrist, and her eventual return to prison just before Christmas. During this time, waiting to be arrested, she was fully compliant with her curfew and did nothing wrong. [3]
As has been previously disclosed, Serco/EMS reported they were unable to fit a tag because their smallest straps were too big for her wrists, despite them being within the usual range for UK females.
EMS also reported the reason for breach as “refusal for install [sic]”, saying Gaie “would not let us install Electronic Equipment during our visits”. This was a lie. She has never refused a tag or any other EMS Electronic Equipment.
Instead of being released on the expected date of 17th March as stated in her recall papers, Gaie has now been informed by prison authorities that she will be kept in prison until 7th April. Her recall will have cost the taxpayer £20,000. [4]
Family and friends, in parallel with legal approaches, have appealed to Shabana Mahmood, the Secretary of State for Justice, who made the decision to recall, to use her discretionary powers to rescind this decision.
This latest news coincides with the release of an open letter from twenty four charities calling on Shabana Mahmood to revoke Gaie’s recall to prison to ensure her re-release on Home Detention Curfew under conditions that respect her health and dignity. [5]
Mick Delap, Gaie’s brother said,
“How come that it has proved so impossible to fit this normal-sized woman, who desperately wants to have electronic monitoring, with any one of the many different forms of monitoring available to the authorities? That was true of the time she was waiting at home, and has continued to be true in the month since she has been back in prison.
“How come that there has been a deafening silence from the Ministry of Justice since Gaie’s return to prison despite numerous appeals from her family, friends and her MP?
“And, perhaps most crucially, how come those with ultimate responsibility for the proper functioning of Serco/EMS – the MoJ and Parliament – are so blatantly failing to hold them to account?”
Family friend, Mike Campbell added,
“A flawed process led to Gaie’s recall. This will cost the taxpayer up to £20,000. Her re-incarceration represents a clear miscarriage of justice. She now faces double jeopardy, two punitive measures resulting solely from the unavailability of suitable electronic monitoring equipment. This is a cruel decision.
“Our criminal justice and penal system has failed, in Gaie’s case, to meet the standards of proportionality, fairness, and respect for human dignity that should be the cornerstone of justice in the UK. Immediate action is required to correct this systemic failing not just for the sake of Gaie, but of hundreds of women being failed by the system.
“The Ministry of Justice will know how to access a number of electronic monitoring devices suitable for use by Gaie. There is no possible reason for one of these not to be fitted while she is in prison and then released”.
The only person who can now reverse the decision to imprison Gaie is the Secretary of State for Justice Shabana Mahmood MP. Take action to secure Gaie’s release by writing to your MP here: https://actionnetwork.org/letters/release-gaie-delap/
ENDS
Family and friends press contacts:
Mick Delap 07977 494178
Mike Campbell 07891 432224
Just Stop Oil Press contact: 07762 987334
Press email: juststopoilpress@protonmail.com
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Notes to Editors
[1] Just Stop Oil is committed to nonviolent direct action to resist the destruction of our communities as a result of climate breakdown. We do not consent to plans that will result in 3C of warming and mass death.
We demand an emergency plan to Just Stop Oil by 2030. Our government must work with other governments to end the extraction and burning of all oil, gas and coal by 2030.
Just Stop Oil is a member of the A22 Network of civil resistance projects.
Just Stop Oil ‘Blue Lights’ policy: our policy is, and has always been, to move out of the way for emergency vehicles with siren sounding and ‘blue lights’ on.
We take all possible steps to ensure that no-one’s safety is compromised by our actions.
[2] https://juststopoil.org/2024/07/10/paint-the-town-orange-just-stop-oil-wins-first-demand/
[4] Costs of keeping a woman in prison https://insidetime.org/newsround/cut-in-public-spending-on-prisons/
[5] Open Letter to Shabana Mahmood, Secretary of State for Justice https://drive.google.com/file/d/122OrvwUmu_109_Kf6rzR05lw3ZvAVIsG/view?usp=drive_link