Rickey Tomlinson and Des Warren

Welcome

Download and print an information sheet about the campaign here.

Please donate to our Legal Fund

Please be aware that we are the official campaign. There are other organisations, mainly based in London, with websites who are purporting to represent the convicted pickets. We wish to confirm to you that our campaign committee, based in the North West, is the only body that is acting for and has the support of the pickets.

Shrewsbury 24 campaign

We seek to overturn the unjust prosecution of 24 building workers following the first ever national building workers strike in 1972. They picketed building sites in Shrewsbury and were prosecuted in 1973. They became known as the “Shrewsbury 24”.

Our main focus is an application to the Criminal Cases Review Commission (CCRC) to have these cases referred to the Court of Appeal and for these miscarriages of justice to be overturned. It was submitted on the 3rd April 2012. Find out more...

Petition & Parliament Debate

The Petition demanding that the Government release documents relating to the conviction of the Shrewsbury 24 was served at Number 10 Downing Street on 16th December 2013. Find out more here and here.

The Parliamentary Debate on 23rd January 2014 was won by 120 to 3 – find out more.

On the 9th December 2015 MPs Steve Rotheram and Andy Burnham led a debate in Westminster Hall calling on the Government to release all papers relating to the Shrewsbury Trials. Read more...

Important Updates

December 2018 – Court gives green light for pickets to challenge CCRC

On Friday 9th November 2018 the Shrewsbury pickets won an important victory in their long struggle to overturn their convictions. In the Administrative Court in Birmingham, Mr Justice Jay gave permission for the pickets’ application for judicial review to proceed to a full hearing. Read more about this landmark decision.

Read the Morning Star article about the victory.

February 2018 – Campaign launches Judicial Review on behalf of the Shrewsbury pickets

The Shrewsbury 24 Campaign made an application to the Criminal Cases Review Commission (CCRC) on behalf of the pickets on 3 April 2012. After sending several additional lengthy submissions to the CCRC over the past 5 years we have now received their Final Statement of Reasons.  We were extremely disappointed to be informed by the CCRC that they had decided not to refer the pickets’ cases to the Court of Appeal.

Our legal team, led by Danny Friedman QC, have considered the CCRC’s reasons and advised us that we have grounds to challenge the CCRC’s decision through a judicial review in the Administrative Court. The pickets and the Campaign have discussed this advice and have decided to proceed with an application for judicial review. Read more about the Judicial Review…

December 2017 – Ken O’Shea R.I.P.

It is with great sadness that the Shrewsbury 24 Campaign has to announce the death of the eldest surviving picket, Kenneth Desmond Francis O’Shea on Boxing Day. He was 88. Read more…

Update  July 2017 – CCRC, the fight goes on

The Criminal Cases Review Commission has issued a ‘Provisional Statement of Reasons’ in response to the applications of the Shrewsbury pickets. The CCRC has informed us that they do not propose to refer our case back to the Court of Appeal. Although we are very disappointed with their decision we remain absolutely certain that we will overturn this miscarriage of justice. Read More…

Campaign’s researcher, Eileen Turnbull, describes below how she tracked down the television programme,  Red Under the Bed.

Ian Prowes has made a video for the Shrewsbury 24 Campaign of his cover of Alun Parry’s song My Name Is Dessie Warren. Read more…

 The Campaign

The Shrewsbury 24 Campaign, MPs and Union Leaders outside Number 10. December 2013.
The Shrewsbury 24 Campaign, MPs and Union Leaders outside Number 10. December 2013.

Left to right: Katy Clark MP, Tom Watson MP, Steve Rotheram MP, David Anderson MP, Ricky Tomlinson Convicted Picket, Eileen Turnbull Shrewsbury 24 Campaign, Len McCluskey Gen. Sec. Unite, Steve Murphy Gen. Sec. UCATT, Bob Crow Gen. Sec. RMT, John McDonell MP, Graham Morris MP.

Ricky Tomlinson
Ricky Tomlinson

Serving the petition at 10 Downing Street, Monday 16th December 2013.

Andy Warren with members of the committee, Liverpool November 2011
Andy Warren with members of the committee, Liverpool November 2011

(L-R) Ricky Tomlinson (picket), Eileen Turnbull (Researcher), Andy Warren (Des Warren's son) and Harry Chadwick (Chair).

Members of the committee and pickets, Ewloe, North Wales November 2011
Members of the committee and pickets, Ewloe, North Wales November 2011

Back row (L-R) John Bohanna, Terry Renshaw, Kevin O’Hagan and Harry Chadwick. Front Row (L-R): John McKinsie Jones, Eileen Turnbull and Kevin Butcher.

The campaign at the Criminal Cases Review Commission
The campaign at the Criminal Cases Review Commission

Tuesday 3rd April 2012.

“United We Stand”
“United We Stand”

Townsend Productions with the Shrewsbury 24 Campaign after a performance of their play "United We Stand" at St Michael's Irish Centre, Liverpool, 1st April 2015.

The Committee, 2016
The Committee, 2016

Back row (L-t-R): John Bohanna, Terry Renshaw, Phil Simpson, Ken Barnes. Front row (L-t-R): Ann Dobie, Harry Chadwick, Eileen Turnbull.

The Strike

The 1972 Builders’ Strike
The 1972 Builders’ Strike

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Construction Workers Unions In 1972
Construction Workers Unions In 1972

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The Pickets At Shrewsbury
The Pickets At Shrewsbury

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Arrest & Charge
Arrest & Charge

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The Trial
The Trial

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The Appeals
The Appeals

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Des Warren
Des Warren

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Ricky Tomlinson
Ricky Tomlinson

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The Pickets

Des Warren
Des Warren
Ricky Tomlinson
Ricky Tomlinson
John McKinsie Jones
John McKinsie Jones
Terry Renshaw
Terry Renshaw
Andy Warren
Andy Warren

 

Affiliates