A SEVENTY-SEVEN-YEAR-OLD grandmother has been recalled to prison because the prison service can’t find an electronic tag to fit on her wrist. 

In 2022 Just Stop Oil campaigner Gaie Delap took part in protests demanding the government stop issuing new licences for oil and gas projects.

In August this year, she and four others were sentenced to 20 months in jail for protesting on the M25 motorway, bringing traffic to a halt.

Four of the protesters, including Ms Delap, were released in November under a home detention curfew. Three were fitted with tracking tags. But Ms Delap’s tag would not fit without slipping off.

On Friday she was arrested at her home in Bristol and will spend Christmas in prison.

The campaign group said Ms Delap suffers from numerous health conditions and suffered a stroke in the run-up to her trial.

She “experienced significant mistreatment in prison, suffering wrist problems after being handcuffed to a bed in hospital” and the warrant for her arrest was reportedly issued while she was receiving treatment in hospital.

In a statement, Ms Delap’s family and friends said: “We are outraged by her recall to prison. We know this is cruel and totally unnecessary.

“We know there are alternatives to the tag. Moreover, Gaie is absolutely no threat to the community.

“This recall to prison is a ridiculous waste of resources and money. It will cost the taxpayer £12,000 to keep Gaie in prison.

“We cannot believe that there is not an electronic monitoring device that can be fitted at a fraction of the cost. We want common sense to prevail.”

A prison service spokesperson said: “We have a duty to enforce sentences passed down by the independent judiciary.

“The law states anyone released under home detention curfew must be tagged and recalled if no alternative solution is available.”