Merseyside sailor who helped bring home wrongly imprisoned Chennai Six receives medal

• Granada Reports correspondent Paul Crone went to meet the man who strives to keep those working at sea on an even keel.

A sailor who helped bring home a group of British maritime security guards wrongly jailed in India has been awarded a medal.

Steven Jones, 52, is among nine new recipients of the Merchant Navy Medal, the Department for Transport (DfT) announced.

Mr Jones, from Wirral, campaigned for the freedom of six British men jailed in India after being arrested in October 2013 on weapons charges.

They had been working as guards on a ship combatting piracy in the Indian Ocean.

Mr Jones raised the profile of the so-called Chennai Six, exposing the injustice and the challenging conditions they faced.

The men later won an appeal against their convictions in November 2017 and were given permission to leave India.

"In India, where they were held captive they were very much viewed as criminals," he said.

"But from our prospective, as professionals in maritime, we wanted to change that story and actually they weren't, they were innocent they were just going about their jobs, so we felt we had a really important role in that."

Mr Jones also champions mental health and created the Seafarers Happiness Index in 2015, which monitors the mood of maritime workers.

This helps shipping companies and organisations to provide targeted support.

Mr Jones said: “I’m thrilled to receive the Merchant Navy Medal.

“It’s absolutely vital that seafarers have a voice, are listened to by the industry and seen by society.

“I’m glad I am able to shine a light on the important work that seafarers do and I’ll continue to champion them in the years to come.”

Speaking of his work on mental health, he added: "It's a strange industry, because at some levels there are fantastic companies doing amazing things and doing it very well.

"But below that level you get into a very murky world where seafarers are used and abused, people charge money for jobs, they're not paid their wages, they're often abandoned by owners who wipe their hands when things go wrong."

Steven's dad was also in the Merchant Navy, while his two great grandfathers served with courage and distinction at sea with the Royal Navy during World War Two.

Donald Pinnington was awarded an OBE, and Thomas Williams died when his ship was sunk by a U-Boat.

Maritime minister Mike Kane said: “It’s fantastic to see these nine remarkable sailors receive this very special award – the highest in the industry.

“Their dedication, bravery and fortitude is truly inspiring and shows the very best of UK maritime.

“I take pride in celebrating these individuals, as well as the many seafarers who make such a significant contribution to our country, both here and abroad.”

The nine recipients will receive their medals on 5 November in a ceremony with the Princess Royal.