An elderly woman who participated in an environmental protest has filed a lawsuit against the government, alleging wrongful imprisonment.
Gaie Delap, aged 79, received a 20-month jail term for scaling structures above the M25 motorway to raise awareness about climate change. Delap, an activist with the Just Stop Oil movement, was initially allowed to serve the remainder of her sentence at home. However, she was returned to prison after the contractor Serco failed to provide a suitable electronic monitoring device that could accommodate her wrist, as she could not wear an ankle bracelet due to a medical condition. Delap, hailing from Bristol, was one of 16 individuals incarcerated following the M25 demonstration in November 2022.
Represented by the Good Law Project, the retired educator stated, “When authorities opt to incarcerate a grandmother instead of addressing the urgent issues we are protesting, the justice system is flawed.”
Responding to the situation, the Ministry of Justice remarked, “The existing prison system inherited by this administration does not adequately serve the majority of female inmates.
“Hence, the Lord Chancellor has initiated a new Women’s Justice Board aimed at reducing female incarceration rates and enhancing support for those who necessitate imprisonment.”
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