Eight of the Shrewsbury 24 have cases referred for appeal

All eight men referred were members of a group of 24 construction workers convicted in a series of three trials held in 1972, 1973 and 1974. Together they became known as the Shrewsbury 24.

The men were convicted of a range of offences such as unlawful assembly, conspiracy to intimidate, affray, and threatening behaviour.

All but one pleaded not guilty, and all were convicted. The sentences imposed varied from three years imprisonment to three months imprisonment suspended for two years.

The eight men whose cases have been referred are John McKinsie Jones, John Malcolm Clee, William Michael Pierce, Terence Renshaw, Patrick Kevin Butcher, and Bernard Williams, and also Kenneth Desmond Francis O’Shea and Dennis Michael Warren both of whom are deceased.

The referrals do not include TV star Eric “Ricky” Tomlinson and George Arthur Murray, although the Criminal Cases Review Commission (CCRC) has urged the pair to get in touch as their cases could also be referred for appeal.

A statement from the CCRC said: "If they contact the commission we will aim to send their cases for appeal without delay so they can join the appeal proceedings resulting from the referral."

CCRC Chairman Helen Pitcher said: “Our review of these cases was detailed and thorough but we reached a view in 2017 that in spite of our considerable efforts we did not have grounds to refer them to the Court of Appeal.

“When it became clear that the Administrative Court took a different view on two specific points we decided to revisit our decision.

Complex

“We looked long and hard again at the specific issues involved. It was by no means a foregone conclusion that we would change our original decision, but in the end we have decided there is now enough to refer these cases for appeal.

“These are complex matters of judgment and not precise calculations. Some will think this has not been the commission’s finest hour, but it does at least show that we are an organisation that can revisit a decision impartially and where necessary change its mind.

“It will now be for the Court of Appeal to hear the appeals and decide whether or not to quash these convictions.”

Terry Renshaw, speaking on behalf of the pickets, said: “We are absolutely delighted with the decision and look forward to our day in court to show that we were victims of a miscarriage of justice. Without the Shrewsbury 24 Campaign we would not be where we are today. We owe a great debt of thanks to them for the tireless work that they have carried out.”

In 2012, the CCRC received applications from ten members of the Shrewsbury 24 including the eight men whose convictions have now been referred for appeal.

In October 2017 the CCRC decided it could not refer the convictions for appeal.

Eight of the ten CCRC applicants launched Judicial Review proceedings through their legal representative at Bindmans LLP against the CCRC’s decision not to refer their cases.

Permission for the Judicial Review was given on November 9, 2018, and the full hearing took place on April 30, 2019.

Part way though those proceedings the CCRC agreed that it would revisit its decision not to refer the eight cases for appeal.

The CCRC said it has now reconsidered its initial decision not to refer the eight convictions "in light of the apparent attitude of the Administrative Court and in light of submissions from Bindmans LLP on those matters".

As a result the CCRC has decided to refer the eight cases for the Court of Appeal because it now considers that there is a "real possibility the Court of Appeal will quash the convictions."