Shrewsbury Pickets begin fresh legal bid to clear their names after 40 years

A LONG-running campaign to clear the names of 24 former building workers charged with conspiracy after a strike almost 40 years ago was stepped up with a fresh legal move for their appeal to be heard.

The Shrewsbury Pickets Campaign is being led by a group, including former workers Terry Renshaw and Ricky Tomlinson – now better known for his role as TV’s Jim Royle in The Royle Family – who were jailed after a trial lasting more than two months.

They submitted their case to the Criminal Case Review Commission and voiced hopes that the “miscarriage of justice” will be overturned.

A year after the 1972 building strike ended, 24 workers were put on trial in Shrewsbury after being charged under the 1875 Conspiracy Act.

Yesterday’s submission argues that the original case against them was political and an abuse of power by the Conservative government of the day.

Mr Tomlinson said: “I am 73 in September and I would like to have my name cleared before I die. It has caused me a lot of pain and upset over the years but I am confident we will finally get justice.”

Mr Renshaw said: “We hope this submission will lead to the convictions being overturned. We have evidence that this was a political trial.”

Steve Murphy, general secretary of the building workers union Ucatt, said: “This is a highly significant day in the battle for justice. The commission needs to act quickly on this case and right this wrong.”