78-Year-Old Climate Protestor Gets 20 More Days In Jail - 20 Days She Stayed Home Waiting To Be Arrested (But Was Not)

A 78-year-old climate protester has had her prison term extended for being “unlawfully at large” when government contractors were unable to find the right-sized tag for her wrist, which would have allowed her to complete her sentence in the community. Gaie Delap, a retired teacher and Just Stop Oil protester, was sentenced to 20 months in prison for her participation in a climate protest on the M25 in 2022 and was released last November under the home detention curfew (HDC) scheme.

She was recalled to prison just before Christmas. Because of a history of deep-vein thrombosis, she could not have a tag attached to her ankle and no wrist tag that fitted her could be found.

On Friday she learned that the time she must spend in prison had been extended. Her supporters said she was shocked to receive a letter delivered to her cell saying that her time behind bars had been extended by 20 days as it corresponded to the period of time after she was notified of her recall to prison. During that time she had been at home with her suitcase packed, waiting to be arrested and reincarcerated. Initially, Delap was informed she would be released on 17 March but on Friday she was told her release date had been delayed until 7 April.

The news emerged days after the Guardian revealed that the prisons minister, James Timpson, wants to reverse the rise in the number of women imprisoned, with more tagged and sent to rehabilitation centres.

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https://www.theguardian.com/society/2025/jan/25/gaie-delap-just-stop-oil-climate-protester-prison-term-extended-wrist-tag