The Official Shrewsbury 24 Campaign|To Overturn A Miscarriage Of Justice

Welcome

Download and print an information sheet about the campaign here.

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...

The Road to the Court of Appeal

The pickets’ case was heard by the Court of Appeal on 3 and 4 February 2021. The judgement was released on the 23rd March 2021, which announced that the pickets’ convictions have been quashed. Find out more here.

The appeal is the result of the Campaign persuading the CCRC to refer eight pickets’ convictions to the appeal court though sadly two other pickets had given up in 2017 when the CCRC turned down the cases. Find out more here and here.

The CCRC originally turned down the case in 2017, but was challenged successfully at a judicial review in April 2019.

Building worker pickets (back row L-R) Bernard Williams, Kevin Butcher, Michael Pierce, Terry Renshaw and Ken O’Shea, (front row, L-R) Dawn and Melanie McKinsie Jones, Eileen Turnbull (Researcher) and Harry Chadwick (Chairperson).

Buy Des Warren’s book The Key to my Cell for £4 inc, p&p on the Merchandise page.

Important Updates

Kevin Butcher – scaffolder, trade unionist and Shrewsbury picket, May 2021

It is with great sadness that we announce the death of Kevin Butcher, the eldest surviving Shrewsbury picket, at the age of 87. He was a staunch supporter of the campaign to achieve justice for all the Shrewsbury 24. Kevin was convicted in the third trial at Shrewsbury Crown Court. His contribution over the years was invaluable to us all. We are thankful that Kevin lived to see our historic victory at the Court of Appeal this year. He will be greatly missed. Our sincere condolences to all his family.

A full tribute will appear on this website later in the week.
Kevin Butcher

Shrewsbury pickets’ win appeal – success for the Shrewsbury 24 Campaign.

The full Court of Appeal judgement is here.

See messages from Frances O’Grady, TUC General Secretary; Matt Wrack, FBU General Secretary; and Howard Beckett, Unite Assistant General Secretary.

Shrewsbury 24 Appeal Court Hearing 3rd and 4th February 2021

We have just spent two historic days in the Royal Courts of Justice, where three appeal court judges heard the appeals of the pickets. Terry Renshaw and John McKinsie Jones joined Campaign Researcher and Secretary, Eileen Turnbull, Campaign Chairperson Harry Chadwick, and Mark Turnbull campaign member in Court 4 to watch proceedings.

Terry and John said on the steps of the court, “We have waited over 47 years for this day and nothing would have stopped us getting to London for the hearing”.

The campaign had instructed Bindmans solicitors, the leading Human Rights lawyers. Our legal team was headed by Danny Friedman QC of Matrix Chambers and junior counsel Ben Newton. Jamie Potter and Kate Goodman, senior partners at Bindmans, were also in attendance.

Danny was on his feet for the whole of the first day, addressing the three appeal court judges. All of the evidence which was used in court was obtained by the Campaign’s researcher, Eileen Turnbull, over a period of 12 years. Danny said that the pickets were denied a fair trial on two grounds.

Firstly, the police told their prosecution team that they had destroyed a number of original witness statements. This was not made known to the defence or the judge. It denied the pickets’ lawyers from questioning witnesses about their earlier recollection of people and events on the building sites visited by the pickets.

Secondly, a highly prejudicial documentary was broadcast on ITV half-way through the trial, Red under the Bed. The judge failed to ask jury members if they had seen it and, if they had, should have taken further action, which might have included discharging the jury.

Danny Friedman gave an excellent account of our case in court.

The court has reserved its decision and when we receive the judgment, we shall let all our supporters know on this website.

If you require any further information about the appeal hearing or the Campaign please email us at: 24@shrewsbury24campaign.org.uk.

Shrewsbury pickets’ case in Court of Appeal, 3-4 February 2021

We are delighted to confirm that the pickets appeal will be heard on 3 and 4 February 2021 at the Court of Appeal in the Royal Courts of Justice, London.

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

Solidarity with Orgreave Truth & Justice Campaign

The Shrewsbury 24 Campaign extends it support to the OTJC in their call for an Orgreave Independent Panel to be set up along the lines of the landmark Hillsborough Independent Panel.

These principled campaigners have worked tirelessly for years to uncover the truth about the events at the picket at Orgreave on 18 June 1984. On that day hundreds of miners were attacked and beaten by an army of police, including a mounted unit that charged down with batons on unarmed striking miners causing devastating injuries. The trial of the 95 miners that were arrested on that day collapsed when the union lawyers showed that the police evidence had been fabricated. The campaign wants to know the truth: who planned and gave the orders for the police attack on defenceless miners, who orchestrated the prosecutions. Without Truth there can be no Justice.

Further details can be found on the OTJC website.

Eileen Turnbull -Researcher & Secretary
Harry Chadwick – Chairperson

The Campaign

Some of the pickets and campaign committee members, December 2019.

Back Row (L-R) Mark Turnbull, Terry Renshaw, Kevin Butcher, Michael Pierce, John Bohanna and Joe Sim. Front row: Ann Dobie, John McKinsie Jones, Eileen Turnbull and Harry Chadwick.

5 Pickets

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.

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

Tuesday 3rd April 2012.

“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.