Aberavon MP, Stephen Kinnock, has led a delegation of campaigners to the Ministry of Justice to deliver a 600 signature strong petition calling for the posthumous pardon for Dic Penderyn.

185 years after Penderyn was sentenced to death for his part in the 1831 Merthyr uprising and the stabbing of Lance Corporal Donald Black, a reception was held to commemorate the Welsh working class martyr in Parliament.

The reception was attended by Dic Penderyn’s descendants, representatives from the Dic Penderyn Society and Port Talbot and Merthyr Trades Union Councils, with contributions from Steffan ap Dafydd, Sally Jones, Robert King and Viv Pugh.

Stephen Kinnock said, ‘Penderyn was the victim of a grave miscarriage of justice.  He maintained his innocence to the very end and years later evidence came to light casting serious doubts over his conviction.

‘The fact that this injustice took place nearly 200 years ago does not make it any less important.

‘His descendants and campaign groups from Aberavon and Merthyr have fought tirelessly to clear his name. They were with me when we delivered the petition and our message to the Lord Chancellor is simple: we will not let this rest, we will not let this injustice continue, we will carry on with this fight until we have secured a posthumous pardon for Dic Penderyn.’