December 17th 2024.
In 2022, Gaie Delap took a stand for the environment by blocking the M25 in London. Her act of protest landed her in jail for 20 months, but she was recently released on November 18. However, her freedom was short-lived as she was ordered to serve the rest of her sentence with an electronic tag. This was to ensure that she abided by a home detention curfew between 7 pm and 7 am.
The company responsible for fitting and maintaining the electronic tags, Serco, ran into a problem when they tried to put the tag on Gaie. Due to her deep vein thrombosis, they were unable to put it on her ankle. And when they tried to put it on her wrist, they found that the tag was too big for her tiny 14.5cm wrist. Despite this, they did not return with a smaller tag, causing Gaie to face the possibility of being sent back to prison.
As a result, the courts imposed a doorstep curfew where someone from the probation service would physically check on her every evening. However, on December 5, a warrant was issued for her arrest due to the inability to monitor her with the tag. This has left Gaie in a state of limbo, living with the constant fear of being sent back to prison.
Gaie has been trying to reach out to various authorities, including the Ministry of Justice and her local MP, but she has received no response. Her friends and family are now speaking out, calling for a tag small enough to fit her wrist so that she can continue to serve her sentence under a curfew at her home in Bristol.
At a press conference, her friend Annie Menter expressed the toll this situation has taken on Gaie's mental and physical health. She has been experiencing sleep disturbances, loss of appetite, and panic attacks, on top of dealing with two serious health conditions that require hospital investigation. Annie also highlighted the injustice and lack of communication that has caused confusion and distress for many people.
Gaie's local MP, Carla Denyer, has also raised concerns about her case and has reached out to the prisons minister to discuss the matter. She is troubled by the fact that Gaie was informed unofficially about the possibility of being sent back to prison, with no details provided on how to appeal the decision.
The situation has shed light on the bigger issue of injustice and lack of communication between services, causing unnecessary distress for individuals like Gaie. And while her health condition has made it difficult for her to wear an ankle cuff, it should not be a reason for her to be sent back to prison. The company responsible for the electronic tags should prioritize finding a solution for Gaie and others in similar situations.
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