Court of Appeal overturns members of the Shrewsbury 24’s convictions
Members of the so-called Shrewsbury 24, who were convicted for picketing nearly 50 years ago, have won a bid to clear their names at the Court of Appeal.
Two dozen trade unionists who picketed during the 1972 national builders’ strike were charged with offences including unlawful assembly, conspiracy to intimidate and affray for picketing, with 22 of them convicted.
Lawyers representing 14 of the Shrewsbury 24, including The Royle Family star Ricky Tomlinson, argued the destruction of original witness statements means their convictions are unsafe.
Excellent news! One travesty of justice finally put right after 48 years. Well done to the campaigners and the building workers who were so unjustly targeted, harassed, and imprisoned. RIP Des Warren my thoughts are with his family. https://t.co/nqDSQCx8EV
— Ruthedit 💙 (@ruthedith) March 23, 2021
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Support us and go ad-freeThey also claimed the broadcast of a documentary, Red Under The Bed, during the first of three trials in 1973 and 1974 was “deeply prejudicial” as it would have “provoked panic in the mind” of the jury.
On Tuesday morning, the Court of Appeal allowed the appellants’ challenge to their convictions.
Announcing the decision at the Royal Courts of Justice in London, Lord Justice Fulford said: “These 14 appeals against conviction are allowed across the three trials and on every extant count which the 14 appellants faced.”
The judge added: “It would not be in the public interest to order a retrial.”
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Make them pay. Multi-Million Pound pay outs to all.
Victory at last for the Shrewsbury pickets.
Pity it took 48 years !!
That’s how justice works for our class of people.
As for Ricky Tomlinson …
Shame on him for adding his endorsement on Starm-Trooper’s leadership campaign leaflet..
A pity after 48 years that he’s learned so little.
Long overdue! Now for; Orgreave! Wapping! Grunwick! Sheerness(the steel strike)! Belfast! Bogside! Blair Peach! Liddle Towers! Jimmie Kelly! Cherry Groce! Cynthia Jarrett! West Bromwich (when a cop killed a kid with a sterling SMG; he told the court that his gun “had a dodgy safety catch”)! Defund the fuzz! Spend the money on a decent level of benefits! prosecute the scum press who defame the workers! Round up the bankers, bosses and landlords and put them in a field and then wallop them with mounted police batons! And shout “Orgreave! Orgreave! while you’re doing it!
Well said, people who think the Police are friendly now, really need a history lesson.