Michael Shields

[Cloggie]

Not sure were to post this.........Whatever, please sign. This man is sooooooo innocent!!!

http://www.petitions.pm.gov.uk/MichaelCShields

[snappel]

There's already a thread on this subject somewhere...

Personally I have seen no evidence for him being innocent, so I'll abstain.

EDIT: Just did a search - I think the old thread's been cleared.

[Gerard]

I'll sign your petition Cloggie.
I'll go with my feeling having known Michael's family a very long time and know they brought him up well in saying I think the Lad is Innocent and the whole Michael Shields set up/framing is an absolute disgrace,
Keep up the good work shouting the word. :handclap:

MICHAEL SHIELDS IS INNOCENT.

[SteH]

I dont think he dropped a paving slab on the mans head, but dont think he was asleep in his bed either. The appeal is pending, hope trurth will come out then.

[Jericho]

Not the result the family wanted.

http://icliverpool.icnetwork.co.uk/0100news/0100regionalnews/tm_headline=bombshell-for-shields%26method=full%26objectid=19038494%26siteid =50061-name_page.htm

[Mel P]

There's already a thread on this subject somewhere...

Personally I have seen no evidence for him being innocent, so I'll abstain.

EDIT: Just did a search - I think the old thread's been cleared.

The evidence is, somebody else has admitted they did it, and they also say Michael had nowt to do with it.

This has been well publicised........

[Max]

At least he's not In Bulgaria no more though.

I thought what Sankey admitted to was something else.

[snappel]

Sankey was to do with something different.

Personally I think a fair and proper trial is required. I would have signed the aforementioned petition if this had been said - instead the first post was taking a biased view saying he must be innocent, so I assumed the petition was saying this too.

In short, I have no idea whether he did it or not, that's why I think a fair trial is called for. I refuse to jump on this 'MS is innocent' bandwagon just because he's from Liverpool and says he didn't do it. It wouldn't be the first time.

This disturbs me... An MP said this...


We will continue to fight for justice for Michael. He is an innocent young man who has been treated very badly throughout.

The first sentence is fine. Everyone deserves a fair hearing and trial for anything they're accused of. But the MP has categorically stated that Shields is innocent. This is what I don't get. Campaigning for justice, fine, but I can't take this seriously when everyone's convinced he's innocent when they didn't even know him!

[AntiPathos]

What are people's responses to this (http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/main.jhtml?xml=/news/2005/08/07/nshield07.xml&sSheet=/news/2005/08/07/ixhome.html) article then ?

[snappel]

Unfortunately this is the kind of mess that comes out of un-needed violence, regardless of who's guilty and who isn't. On a daily basis I see people getting angry, screaming at people in the street and in bars for the most petty of things. I don't know where all this aggression comes from, although no doubt drink fuels it.

[Ged]

A few things.

Whatever happened to the supposed hotel cctv showing Michael coming in before midnight and not exiting again?

I can quite understand a third world mentality country like Bulgaria just wanting to pin it on someone, anyone they can get their hands on, but I thought to be honest, that once he was back home, any misinformation or dirty dealings would have been sorted out within proper European democracy, it seems strange that it hasn't if indeed he is innocent. I also had it in my mind that a UK jail would go a bit easier on him as there's bound to be warders who probably think he's innocent too and it was a fix-up.

My personal initial thoughts about Sankey's confession (and I know this is the same of people who have mentioned it to me, quite unrelated) are that he knew him or sympathised with him and he thought it would release him without him ever having to go over there and face the rap himself - that didn't happen so all of a sudden it was an unrelated incident, maybe i'm sceptical but I hope the truth comes out.

I know one thing, i've seen how foreign police operate including having a gun pulled on me in Tenerife and I wouldn't even look at them sideways.

[Jericho]

What are people's responses to this (http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/main.jhtml?xml=/news/2005/08/07/nshield07.xml&sSheet=/news/2005/08/07/ixhome.html) article then ?

It reads like quite a balanced article to me. The fact that the court threw the case out and he is still in prison seems to suggest that people who are dispassionate about the case feel that he is not exactly an innocent man.

When he is released on parole he will have the option of telling his own story and being questioned. I look forward to hearing what he has to say. I must confess that I struggle with the idea that he is innocent given what has happened and yet so many people believe that he is innocent so maybe I'm missing something.

[snappel]

Yes, I thought it was fairly balanced. Just the kind of article I'd expect on a case like this, and just the kind of article that gets published on cases like this every year.

[Gerard]

Michael Shield's is either telling the truth or the best bloody actor the world has ever seen..

[Jericho]

Michael Shield's is either telling the truth or the best bloody actor the world has ever seen..

I know, something isn't quite right. On the other hand, I don't know about you but I've become a bit cynical that whenever I see a dad, step dad, grandad, husband, partner, close (male) family friend on TV asking for someone (usually a female relative) to come home or if anyone knows the whereabouts and in the sad case of a body having been found issuing a heartfelt plea for information from someone who knows the killer to come forward, I find that as well as empathy part of me is also saying 'Aye, aye - what's going on here?' Too many times the 'genuine' person sobbing their heart out to camera turns out to be the one who did it.

In the Shield's case, I can't believe that local MPs, the local Labour leader, the local newspaper would get behind a case and constantly claim that he is innocent unless they are sure that he is and yet when I look for hard evidence that he is innocent it mostly seems to be assertion and understandable concerns about the Bulgarian legal system. Now that the European court is satisfied that due process occurred, what's left?

I read that his supporters are now going to contact interpol or something and have issued another plea for witnesses to come forward so it looks as though the campaign to clear his name will continue.

[Kev]

I know, something isn't quite right.

It does have this uncertain feeling surrounding the case.

[Gerard]

[QUOTE=Jericho;56152]" I don't know about you but I've become a bit cynical that whenever I see a dad, step dad, grandad, husband, partner, close (male) family friend on TV ....."


In this Michael Shields instance Jericho I get all my Information from the Family and not the TV or Liverpool hating media..Remember the Sun !!

The Lad is Innocent...
Would anyone like to meet his Parents..Im certain a few attidudes would be changed after chatting with them for 10 Minutes....It can be arranged.

Dont worry..they dont Bite and wont rob yer coat or anything like that..

[lindylou]

I don't know if Michael is innocent or not.

My heart does go out to his parents though, especially his mum. the anguish she is going through. I feel very sorry for her pain as a mother.

[Maria]

I met Michael's parents in that pub on Wavertree Road next to Taskers. They had a big sign outside saying Michael was innocent. After talkin to them for a few minutes,,,, what came across was their total grief. I signed their petition and left with no doubt in my mind that everybody at that meeting believed michael to be innocent.
I really feel for his parents.

[AntiPathos]

No court is going to weigh up the emotions of parents who want their son back and few parents are not going to feel exactly how Mike's are feeling...but what does the evidence say ?

[Gerard]

No court is going to weigh up the emotions of parents who want their son back and few parents are not going to feel exactly how Mike's are feeling...but what does the evidence say ?

The Evidence of a bent and Corrupt Bulgarian Police system..
The Same bent police that drove Michael past the Scene Veeeeeeeeeeery slowly for everyone to catch a glimpse of his face..
Thats it then...Throw away the Key..

[Libertarian]

I think Michael is completely innocent. There is a website in support of him and through it I have wrote to my MP and Euro MP and also signed the online petition. I would urge others to do the same.

[snappel]

That to me is like the guys in town reading out verses from the Bible, and saying that we're all doomed unless we devote our lives to God. Just blind faith.

Yes there's a website, newspaper campaign, a fundraising concert, but you should still make your own mind up about this based on the facts available to you. The same facts, I'm guessing, that are available to everyone else.

[Shapers]

Definatlely a lot more to this than meets the eye. One one hand, you got Micheals mates contradicting each other, then the attitude 'i felt sorry for him at first' then 'he came out to help the germans' in that article. On the other, you have a blurry justice system.

I think Micheal may have been there that night, but not sure if he threw the slab. If that is the case, then hes stupid for saying he was 'tucked up in bed' as if he comes out and confesses as such, it will look bad and all the effort people have done to get him out of Bulgaria will be a slap in the face.

What people have to put to the back of there minds though is the fact hes a Liverpool fan, as a lot of Evertons fans are saying hes guilty, simply because of the club he supports and Liverpool fans saying hes definatley innocent by being blinded by the fact he is one of them.

So the only Justice we should see is the Truth.

[MariaC]

Definatlely a lot more to this than meets the eye. One one hand, you got Micheals mates contradicting each other, then the attitude 'i felt sorry for him at first' then 'he came out to help the germans' in that article. On the other, you have a blurry justice system.

I think Micheal may have been there that night, but not sure if he threw the slab. If that is the case, then hes stupid for saying he was 'tucked up in bed' as if he comes out and confesses as such, it will look bad and all the effort people have done to get him out of Bulgaria will be a slap in the face.

What people have to put to the back of there minds though is the fact hes a Liverpool fan, as a lot of Evertons fans are saying hes guilty, simply because of the club he supports and Liverpool fans saying hes definatley innocent by being blinded by the fact he is one of them.

So the only Justice we should see is the Truth.

The Truth will come out.

[Gerard]

I hope so Maria...I think its gone too far though now..hope I'm wrong.

[snappel]

What people have to put to the back of there minds though is the fact hes a Liverpool fan, as a lot of Evertons fans are saying hes guilty, simply because of the club he supports and Liverpool fans saying hes definatley innocent by being blinded by the fact he is one of them.
Well illustrated. That's what I mean, it's all too tribal. Whether the tribe is LFC supporters, or Liverpool as a whole, being part of any group doesn't mean that by default you have to inherit the most popular views of that group.

[Shapers]

Well illustrated. That's what I mean, it's all too tribal. Whether the tribe is LFC supporters, or Liverpool as a whole, being part of any group doesn't mean that by default you have to inherit the most popular views of that group.

Thanks for that Snappel. I may be a Scouser, but theres no way i would say a fellow Scouser is innocent simply because were from the same City. Which i do see a lot of people doing over this. I have heard the term concerning this case 'we got to look after our own', like its ok if he did do it simply because hes 'one of us'. As people may have guessed, i am not a patriot and won't think like this.

I really hope he is innocent, for his familys sake more than anything, as if he turned round tomorrow and confessed, you would imagine the agony they would have to endure from the press and media and those who wanted him guilty (nasty Evertonians and Man Utd fans).

[snappel]

I really hope he is innocent, for his familys sake more than anything, as if he turned round tomorrow and confessed, you would imagine the agony they would have to endure from the press and media and those who wanted him guilty (nasty Evertonians and Man Utd fans).
Yeah, that's a good point! There'd be a lot of hat eating!

Seriously though, I find the concept of saying somebody you've never met is completely innocent of a crime you didn't witness very odd indeed.

[Shapers]

Agreed Snappel, which is why i won't be signing a petition to free him, because, quite simply, i am not 100 percent he is innocent. And before people say 'if it was your family' I would do exactly as Michaels Parents would be doing if i strongly believed he or she was innocent. But dosen't mean people have to agree.

I would happily sign a petition to have a retrial in the European courts with a superior justice system.

[Butcher]

Seriously though, I find the concept of saying somebody you've never met is completely innocent of a crime you didn't witness very odd indeed.

When you think about it that's what the whole trial by jury system is though - a group of people judging someone they've never met about a crime they didn't witness.
That said, none of us here have all the evidence, so it's kind of hard for us to come to any real conclusions.

[Gerard]

Thanks for that Snappel. I may be a Scouser, but theres no way i would say a fellow Scouser is innocent simply because were from the same City. Which i do see a lot of people doing over this. I have heard the term concerning this case 'we got to look after our own', like its ok if he did do it simply because hes 'one of us'. As people may have guessed, i am not a patriot and won't think like this.

I really hope he is innocent, for his familys sake more than anything, as if he turned round tomorrow and confessed, you would imagine the agony they would have to endure from the press and media and those who wanted him guilty (nasty Evertonians and Man Utd fans).


If your referring to me Shapers Im saying he's innocent Because I know his family..and knowing they brought him up well..Not much to go on you will probably say but its a lot more than people on here who are going on the rubbish in the scum press..your good self included..
I'm an Evertonian by the way..and not a nasty one..and I know loads of Evertonians who feel the same way.

[Shapers]

If your referring to me Shapers Im saying he's innocent Because I know his family..and knowing they brought him up well..Not much to go on you will probably say but its a lot more than people on here who are going on the rubbish in the scum press..your good self included..
I'm an Evertonian by the way..and not a nasty one..and I know loads of Evertonians who feel the same way.

Not referring to you, just people in general, so please don't think am having a sly dig at you. Yes you know the family, you know the lad and you know hes a decent kid, but decent kids can have a night off just like anyone.

Watching his familys tireless work to help him is nothing short of admirable, I just truly hope he is innocent and he was tucked up in bed. Which is why I would petition for a re trial in a better court.

[snappel]

If your referring to me Shapers Im saying he's innocent Because I know his family..and knowing they brought him up well..Not much to go on you will probably say but its a lot more than people on here who are going on the rubbish in the scum press..
No Gerard, most of the people on here who don't believe he's innocent (or guilty) have that view because there is no evidence for them to suggest he is. This has nothing to do with the press. I agree, the press is scummy, and I've been on the received end of bad press as an 'urban explorer' and it's not much fun. But if you're referring to the Telegraph article linked to above, then it's a fairly balanced article I'd say. If you don't think so, please read it again in full.

[snappel]

Which is why I would petition for a re trial in a better court.I think this petition is for a fair trial, but the guy who posted about it didn't say so, and from his post you'd think it was an 'MS is innocent' petition. So you might like to have another look if you want.

[Shapers]

I think this petition is for a fair trial, but the guy who posted about it didn't say so, and from his post you'd think it was an 'MS is innocent' petition. So you might like to have another look if you want.

Then i will sign, thanks for telling me.

[Gerard]

No probs Gents.

[Scanner]

Michael Shields is my cousin and completely innocent and the Bulgarian court case was a farce. When Michael is released, which will be soon a lot of people will eat their words.

[MariaC]

Michael Shields is my cousin and completely innocent and the Bulgarian court case was a farce. When Michael is released, which will be soon a lot of people will eat their words.

Hun, I really feel for you and your family. Words can't express what I felt for Michael's parents when I met them. I wish there was some way I could make a big difference. I am just me and I will offer any support that I can. X

[snappel]

When Michael is released, which will be soon a lot of people will eat their words.
Who's going to eat their words? Nobody on here is saying he's guilty...

[Jericho]

I think this petition is for a fair trial, but the guy who posted about it didn't say so, and from his post you'd think it was an 'MS is innocent' petition. So you might like to have another look if you want.


All the petitions in the world won't change the result. As the ruling from the European court makes clear, it is satisfied that the Bulgarian system was not a farce on this occasion and due process was followed.

There isn't anywhere else to go. Michael should be released on parole soon so hopefully he will get on with his life. On the other hand he now has a criminal record so maybe that's easier said than done.

I don't know whether he is innocent or not. I do think it's a mistake for local politicians to insist that he is innocent if all the evidence they have is what is before us.

I apologise for sounding like a hard hearted b*st*rd but for me asserting something passionately is not as valid as proving something dispassionately when it comes to legal matters.

[snappel]

Well said. I think it's odd that the MPs did that, and the newspapers, and the local celebrities that did the convert to help pay the fine*.

I'm sure eventually an enquiry or re-opening of the case or new evidence will bring out the real truth. Until then we can only go on what we know.

*"A sum of money paid as part of a penalty of conviction for a particular criminal offense."

[AntiPathos]

All the petitions in the world won't change the result. As the ruling from the European court makes clear, it is satisfied that the Bulgarian system was not a farce on this occasion and due process was followed.

There isn't anywhere else to go. Michael should be released on parole soon so hopefully he will get on with his life. On the other hand he now has a criminal record so maybe that's easier said than done.

I don't know whether he is innocent or not. I do think it's a mistake for local politicians to insist that he is innocent if all the evidence they have is what is before us.

I apologise for sounding like a hard hearted b*st*rd but for me asserting something passionately is not as valid as proving something dispassionately when it comes to legal matters.

Hear, hear. Why is it that people can't express opinions such as this on matters such as the Shields case Without usually getting jumped on ? What Jericho is saying is wholly right.

IMO, maybe Mike did it, maybe he didn't. There's some evidence to suggest that he did do it and impassioned talk to say that he didn't. His defence was a bit shambolic and the various alibis ultimately hindered his case. I feel dead sorry for him whether he's guilty or not but I really hope he didn't chuck the slab that night and can one day prove it (somehow) and pocket compensation for his lost years. If he did do it, however, then he should come out when this is all over and admit it (if he even remembers ?) and get on with his life after giving us all the biggest apology Liverpool has ever seen.

AP.

[PhilipG]

Hear, hear. Why is it that people can't express opinions such as this on matters such as the Shields case Without usually getting jumped on ? What Jericho is saying is wholly right.

AP.

On a lighter note, it makes a pleasant change to see 'Hear, hear' spelled correctly.
Whenever I see "Here, here", I want to say "There, there".

Anyway, back on topic.
Like most people who haven't commented in this thread, I really don't know if Michael Shields is innocent or not, but I hope he is.

[Gerard]

Hear, hear. Why is it that people can't express opinions such as this on matters such as the Shields case Without usually getting jumped on ? What Jericho is saying is wholly right.

IMO, maybe Mike did it, maybe he didn't. There's some evidence to suggest that he did do it and impassioned talk to say that he didn't. His defence was a bit shambolic and the various alibis ultimately hindered his case. I feel dead sorry for him whether he's guilty or not but I really hope he didn't chuck the slab that night and can one day prove it (somehow) and pocket compensation for his lost years. If he did do it, however, then he should come out when this is all over and admit it (if he even remembers ?) and get on with his life after giving us all the biggest apology Liverpool has ever seen.

AP.


Here,Here :handclap: Too many narks on here..:unibrow:

[Jericho]

Here,Here :handclap: Too many narks on here..:unibrow:

:002:

[Gerard]

Naughty Gerard...:202 (1):

[Ged]

Ear Ear

[Liverpolitan]

I've not followed all the twists and turns, but it seems plain that the conduct of the investigation was unsatisfactory and caused bias against Michael Shields. The eye-witness evidence they have relied upon seems to have been unreliable and tainted by slap dash procedures. I know it's not nice to criticise the policing and criminal justice standards of an accession state, but despite many reforms here we in Britain still have miscarriages of justice in our far more rigorous system. So it's not anti-Bulgarian to point out that their system is a long way behind ours as regards safeguarding the innocent. To my mind he is innocent, because he hasn't been properly proven to be guilty. I think the city should offer him some sort of "pardon" upon his release, so even if he does formally have a conviction from Bulgaria on his record he will not be hindered getting a job etc.

[scouse mouse]

The thing that I don't get is how something like this can take on some kind of partisan "us vs them" dimension ?

I mean how can some Evertonian's (and I'm not for one minute suggesting that this applies to any on here) take pleasure in the fact that he is a red ?

How do those who sing songs about Michael sleep at night ?

Fwiw, I don't know whether he's guilty or not, I do feel that there seems to have been enough evidence to warrant a retrial.

[AntiPathos]

...I think the city should offer him some sort of "pardon" upon his release, so even if he does formally have a conviction from Bulgaria on his record he will not be hindered getting a job etc.

Not at all necessary. There'll be plenty of people who would consider it an honour and an act of supreme Scouse patriotism to hire Michael Shields to work for them upon his release - that or just do it to bag an Echo article for some free advertising for their firm.

[scouse mouse]

Not at all necessary. There'll be plenty of people who would consider it an honour and an act of supreme Scouse patriotism to hire Michael Shields to work for them upon his release - that or just do it to bag an Echo article for some free advertising for their firm.

Dunno about "supreme Scouse patiotism" whatever that is ? I'd like to think that there are some out there who think the lad deserves a chance to get his life back in order.

[Shapers]

The thing that I don't get is how something like this can take on some kind of partisan "us vs them" dimension ?

I mean how can some Evertonian's (and I'm not for one minute suggesting that this applies to any on here) take pleasure in the fact that he is a red ?

How do those who sing songs about Michael sleep at night ?

Fwiw, I don't know whether he's guilty or not, I do feel that there seems to have been enough evidence to warrant a retrial.

Totally agreed. A good few Evertonians do sing songs about him and are happy hes in prison simply because hes a red. Sick. Of course not every Evertonian is like that but a good few are. Which why i made the point in an earlier post that you must put the fact hes a Liverpool supporter at the back of your mind.

[Shapers]

Dunno about "supreme Scouse patiotism" whatever that is ? I'd like to think that there are some out there who think the lad deserves a chance to get his life back in order.

I do think there is a Scouse Patriotism about it. The Echo would'nt of given him this much coverage if he was from elsewhere.

[snappel]

Totally agreed. A good few Evertonians do sing songs about him and are happy hes in prison simply because hes a red. Sick. Of course not every Evertonian is like that but a good few are. Which why i made the point in an earlier post that you must put the fact hes a Liverpool supporter at the back of your mind.
Enough LFC fans would do the same if it was an Evertonian in jail, I assure you.

[Shapers]

Enough LFC fans would do the same if it was an Evertonian in jail, I assure you.

I do agree with that. Munich and all.

[Cloggie]

I do think there is a Scouse Patriotism about it. The Echo would'nt of given him this much coverage if he was from elsewhere.
Well of course they wouldn't but this is a local lad, hence all the coverage. If he was from somewhere else then that local paper would do it all.

[Shapers]

Well of course they wouldn't but this is a local lad, hence all the coverage. If he was from somewhere else then that local paper would do it all.

Exactly, so there is a bit of Scouse patriotism then is'nt it.

[Cloggie]

Yes, Scouse patriotism and why not???......if he was from Manchester there'd be Manc patriotism in the local papers, if he was from Newcastle there'd be Geordie patriotism. Wherever else he might have come from that town would do their best to get the guy a fair trial.

[Shapers]

Yes, Scouse patriotism and why not???......if he was from Manchester there'd be Manc patriotism in the local papers, if he was from Newcastle there'd be Geordie patriotism. Wherever else he might have come from that town would do their best to get the guy a fair trial.


Did'nt say it was wrong.

[Cloggie]

oooops, sorry.......think i got the wrong end of the stick.

[AntiPathos]

oooops, sorry.......think i got the wrong end of the stick.

I generally try and stay away from the sharp end :)

[scouse mouse]

Enough LFC fans would do the same if it was an Evertonian in jail, I assure you.

Maybe :confused:

I'd like to think that if they did carry on that way there would be more of a reaction from the real fans than there has been at either of the derby matches this season.

[Howie]

Free the Liverpool one

In May 2005, as his heroes flew home from Istanbul with the European Cup, 18-year-old Michael Shields was celebrating 'the greatest night of his life'. But then came a knock on his door, and the start of a nightmare. Kevin Sampson reports

Sunday June 3, 2007
The Observer (http://www.observer.co.uk/)

As the Liverpool hordes poured into the Athens night to right the wrongs of Inzaghi's brace and the cup that got away, one young fan was missing. Michael Shields should have been there for the Champions League final, as he was two years ago in Istanbul. Same teams, but such a different outcome in every way. Eighteen at the time, Shields described the 2005 final as the greatest night of his life. Last Wednesday was one of his worst. As his friends supped a consolation ouzo in Omonia Square, Shields lay on his bed in HM Prison Hindley, trying to blot out all thoughts of football, Liverpool and AC Milan.

Brought up in Mount Vernon on the fringes of Liverpool city centre, Michael was raised on tales of Liverpool FC's former glories from his father, also called Michael. For the younger generation, tales of Liverpool's all-conquering past seemed like legends from a distant time, unlikely ever to return. His father told him of Keegan, Rush and Dalglish. The Reds of 2005 got by with Biscan, Traore and Mellor. Yet Rafael Benitez's misfits dragged themselves against all odds to the Champions League Final on 25 May 2005, and Michael Shields junior - along with countless teenage fans like him - was determined to be there in Istanbul. This was to be the Young Ones final.

On the morning after the semi-finals (just as happened this year) prices for all flights out to the final hit the roof. Faced with costs of £1,000 just to get to Turkey, many fans opted for cheap package trips to the coastal resorts of Bulgaria. A week in the Golden Sands resort on the Black Sea could be had for £230, and Shields decided to head there, with his friends Kieron Dunne, John Unsworth and Karl O'Donnell.

Arriving in the resort, the boys were given room 419 of the Crystal Hotel. Unbeknown to them, room 421, next door, had been allocated to members of another group of travelling fans, including Anthony Wilson and Bradley Thompson. Golden Sands is targeted at a cheap and cheerful British market, with arcades full of fast-food cafes and gaudy bars announcing happy hours that last all day. The boys quickly made themselves familiar with the local nightlife, and evenings would end with boisterous but good-humoured singing at the open-air Big Ben's Cafe, only a short walk from the hotel. Usually, the fans would be served by a popular local barman, Martin Georgiev, who was happy to mingle and take group photos for them.

At no stage did Shields's group befriend Thompson, Wilson or any of their gang - indeed, they steered clear of the group once Thompson and Wilson caused damage to the hotel that led to their being ejected and barred from the premises. Staff there spoke of the 'appalling arrogance' of the two, as well as their companion, a stocky young man called Graham Sankey.

But on the morning of the game there was nothing but high spirits as the majority of those staying in the hotel set off for Istanbul in a coach the hotel staff had helped them charter. Sankey, Wilson and Thompson, who considered themselves to be 'proper' Scousers, seemed keen to dissociate themselves from the football shirt-wearing contingent, and none of the three travelled on the coach. Getting to Istanbul necessitated a 12-hour journey each way, including a two- to three-hour wait at the border for clearance to enter and leave Turkey. But after the euphoria of their team's overturning a 3-0 deficit to go on and win the European Cup, nobody was too bothered about creature comforts on their return journey.

Shields was elated. Here he was, an 18-year-old kid with a story to rank with anything his dad had witnessed. When he got back to the hotel around tea-time on 26 May, he phoned his mother, Marie, and told her Istanbul had been the greatest occasion of his life. She told him she'd have his favourite supper on the go, ready for the sound of his key in the front door. Shields then went to bed to sleep off the fatigue of 24 hours spent in a cramped coach.

The group was due to fly home on 30 May, so plans were hatched for one last night of celebration in the resort. Shields and his group stayed out until about 2am and spent the last of their Bulgarian currency on drinks to bring back to the hotel. Word spread that they were throwing a party and Kevin Glynn, who did not know Shields prior to the Bulgaria trip, went along to join the fun. He states categorically that by 3am, Shields was flat out asleep on his bed, fully clothed and dead to the world.

'Michael was comatose, basically,' Glynn says. 'In fact, we all had a bit of a laugh about how loudly he was snoring.'

Meanwhile, back among the strip of open-air bars, the atmosphere was turning ugly. A big group of Liverpool supporters - mainly families and couples - had arranged a Red Shirt night to celebrate the cup win. A group of youths including Sankey, Wilson and Thompson got into an argument with the 'shirt-wearers'. A few punches were thrown before it all seemed to die down, but another argument flared up outside Big Ben's - the cafe where Martin Georgiev worked. There are different accounts of what happened next, but one witness states: 'I saw two young men running up the centre of the road in the direction of the bar, being chased by this gang of three or four lads. The two lads ran into Big Ben's. One of the lads who was chasing them threw a bottle which smashed in the centre of the road ... there was a fat lad in a white T-shirt with dark hair, and another lad in a striped T-shirt. I'd say they were no more than 5ft 6in to 5ft 7in tall. One of the two lads who had been chased came to the doorway and held his hands above his head and I heard him shout: "We don't want any trouble!"'

At this point, the witness says, he saw Martin Georgiev come out and tell the gang of lads to go away. 'One of the lads started bouncing around on the balls of his feet like a boxer and made his way towards Martin,' he says. 'I saw him strike a blow to Martin's face. Martin must have been immediately knocked out ... He did not move after he hit the floor and remained motionless, face down.' At this time, says the witness, the lad in the white T-shirt appeared from around a parked taxi. 'I then saw him hit Martin on the head with this piece of stone.'

The full eyewitness statement runs to 11 pages, but the essence of the evidence is that at around 5.30am on 30 May 2005, Martin Georgiev was punched to the ground outside his cafe by one man, after which a short, stocky man in a white T-shirt dropped a rock on his head.

Police quickly arrested Graham Sankey and Bradley Thompson. They then returned to room 421 of the Crystal Hotel to arrest Anthony Wilson, but found the room empty. They heard the din from the party next door and demanded entry. The arresting officers had gone to the hotel to apprehend a dark-haired man of some 5ft 6in. They woke Shields - over 6ft tall and blond haired - and demanded he put on a white T-shirt. They then drove him to Big Ben's and parked at the crime scene for 30 minutes, leaving Shields in open view of witnesses still being questioned about the attack. He was then driven to the local police station where he was handcuffed to a radiator for the next 16 hours. During that time, more witnesses to the crime came and went, getting a good look at the young Englishman chained to the wall.

George Gatev, a leading Bulgarian barrister, says this is not unusual procedure for police building a case in his country: 'Essentially, there should be no contact between the eyewitnesses and the suspect. But unfortunately it is common practice for the police here to leave the suspect somewhere where eyewitnesses will pass by and see them.'

Meanwhile, forensic evidence was taken from hairs found on the rock used in the attack on Georgiev. Amazingly, no attempt was made to link that forensic evidence to Shields, even though it would have been a simple enough process - even the most thorough clean-up leaves particles invisible to the naked eye.

The assault on Georgiev was vicious, but Shields did not do it. The case against him was built solely on witness identification and, sadly, that entire process was flawed. Shields was ordered to wear incriminating clothing; driven to the scene of the crime, where people still being interviewed could get a good look at him; handcuffed to a radiator in full view of incoming witnesses; and processed without recourse to forensic examination. There was worse to come. Asked to appear in an ID parade, he was shocked to find only three other 'suspects' in the line-up. He was the only one over 6ft tall. He was the only one with fair hair. And he was the only one dressed in a white T-shirt.

When I go to see Shields at HMP Hindley, near Wigan, at the beginning of May, I'm struck by the inherent sadness of the visiting routine. Skinny young mothers, newly spray-tanned, have donned their shortest skirts and had their hair done for their brief visit. Their men try not to display too much affection. Shields waits patiently at the furthest table, a celebrity by default. He's keeping himself to himself, taking the first steps to becoming a social worker when he's released. He has struck up a pen-friendship with a girl from London, and is going to invite her to visit. By bitter irony, the wall of the visiting room is decorated with an Istanbul mural. Shields smiles resignedly at this, as though he's never noticed. I ask him about the moment it dawned on him he might actually be convicted for the Georgiev attack.

About most aspects of his case he remains optimistic - he has to. But the Bulgarian ID parade still gives him nightmares: 'It was only then, really, that I started getting a sick feeling that something wasn't right. All the other three lads had dark hair and dark skin. It was like I was going to be guilty, no matter what.'

At the ID parade, witnesses were allowed to confer - yet they still couldn't agree on what role Shields had played in the attack, if any at all. He shakes his head as though, two years down the line, he still can't take it in that he's here, because of that. Then, the morning after the attack, police released Sankey without charge. His friends Thompson and Wilson were both charged in connection with the Georgiev assault, but accepted lesser charges. Thompson pleaded guilty to possession of cannabis, Wilson to affray. Both confirmed that they did not know Shields, and that he was not involved in the incident. Sankey flew home shortly after being released and is widely reported to have celebrated as the plane left Bulgaria.

Prosecutors applied for a detaining order on 1 June 2005, and on 27 June Shields was charged with the attempted murder of Martin Georgiev. The trial was scheduled to go to court in Varna on 26 July 2005. The news was greeted with disbelief at home in Liverpool. Shields's sister Laura said: 'We just knew straightaway that he couldn't have done it. Michael's a gentle giant. He's never even been in a police car, let alone a jail. He'll be scared.'

Shields is shy and quietly spoken, yet when he appeared in court in Bulgaria his jailors had shaved his hair in the image of the stereotypical English thug. The court allowed press and TV inside for the pre-trial hearing, plastering Shields's name and image all over the media before the trial began. He was found guilty of attempted murder and sentenced to 15 years in prison, and fined around £40,000. Clearly distraught as he was led away to face a future in a foreign jail for a crime he knew nothing about, Shields cried out: 'I didn't do it!'

'I couldn't believe it,' Shields says, at Hindley. 'Up until then I'd had faith that justice would be done. It never entered my head that what happened could happen. I was in shock.'

Peter Coles, former head of major crimes for Nottinghamshire police, shares his dismay: 'I was a policeman for 35 years and if any of my men had conducted a case like this they would have been sacked,' he says. 'The ID process was a farce; the non-collection of available evidence was a farce; the court proceedings were a farce.'

But back in Liverpool, dramatic events were unfolding. Two days after Shields's conviction, Sankey issued a confession through his lawyer, David Kirwan. In his statement, he describes being involved in a fight with a group of people in red shirts, a bottle being thrown, and hurling a brick in self-defence. According to his account the attack on Georgiev was accidental, the terrible consequence of a random action. In his confession, Sankey says: 'I accept that I must have caused the serious injury to Mr Georgiev. My conscience has been tormenting me ever since.'

Sankey's lawyer said: 'I have today faxed a signed confession from Graham Sankey to the Bulgarian courts ... No matter what the rights and wrongs of the case, this has been a traumatic decision for Graham to make ... Graham's life and that of his family can never return to what it was before that terrible night of 29 May. His only request is that they are left in peace to handle whatever repercussions may lie ahead.'

For 24 hours there was elation among the Shields family. Their son would be coming home at last. They planned a party for him, and started to put the trauma of the past two months behind them. But their joy was to be short-lived. The Bulgarian authorities made it clear they could only consider this new evidence from Sankey himself. Speaking on 6 August 2005, prosecutor Galia Slavova said: 'Unless he [Sankey] travels to Bulgaria or makes himself available via video link there is insufficient evidence for a new investigation.'

Sankey refused to be tried outside the UK, and the Bulgarians closed the case. Her hope extinguished, Marie Shields suffered a massive emotional breakdown.

Shields's case, championed by the Liverpool Echo, touched the people of Merseyside. His family doorstepped Jack Straw in his Blackburn constituency, but the then foreign secretary stressed how difficult it was for the government to interfere in the legal procedures of another nation. He expressed sympathy, emphasised Tony Blair's awareness of Shields's plight, but told them his hands were tied.

Back in Liverpool, Councillor Joe Anderson - an old-style Labour man not given to niceties - headed up an action committee to raise money and awareness. It was crucial that Shields's case was kept in the public eye. But it was equally critical for Michael Shields senior, a window cleaner, to start paying the £40,000 fine. With annual interest running at 15 per cent, time was against him.

Liverpool FC quickly came to the table. First Jamie Carragher, one of the Reds' centre backs, made a public appeal for Tony Blair to become personally involved in the case. At Liverpool's first home game of the 2005- 2006 season, a card mosaic was held up on the Kop simply saying FREE MICHAEL. A bucket collection at the home game against West Ham United raised £20,000, with both sets of fans contributing.

On the legal front, local MP Louise Ellman and MEP Arlene McCarthy were lobbying Bulgarian diplomats. The Bulgarian ambassador to the EU, Stanislav Daskalov, told McCarthy: 'I agree it might be wrong that a young man is in jail when there is a question mark over his guilt. But our legal system has found him guilty and we all have to accept that as the reality of this case.'

But while the sheer strain and expense of flying out to Bulgaria on a weekly basis was causing Michael senior health problems, there was a vague sense of optimism that the next appeal might, at least, allow his son to serve out his sentence in the UK. On 28 April 2006, at the court of appeal in Sofia, the judge cut Shields's sentence from 15 to 10 years and agreed he could serve out his sentence in the UK once his outstanding fine had been cleared. He then increased the fine to £71,000. Once interest had been taken into account, the Shields family would have to pay more than £90,000 before their son could be returned to the UK. Michael's father suffered a heart attack.

Fund-raising initiatives went into overdrive. Joe Anderson secured a new Peugeot car to raffle. A sell-out variety show at the Liverpool Empire raised several thousand pounds more. But the breakthrough in generating the funds came when Liverpool FC invited Michael's father to their training complex at Melwood to recount his son's story to the players. At no stage did Mr Shields ask the players for money, but he was touched to find that it was not just the home-grown trio of Steven Gerrard, Carragher and Robbie Fowler who were keenest to help. Xabi Alonso and Luis Garcia impressed Mr Shields with the extent to which they had followed his son's case. He left feeling confident the players would, at least, donate some signed shirts and balls to be raffled at the next fundraising night. Although the Shields family were asked never to disclose the full amount, it's widely believed the Liverpool squad donated around £50,000 to the fund. What is certain is that soon after the Melwood meeting, plans were being drawn up to bring Shields back to the UK before the end of the year.

Part of the problem now is that Shields's transfer from Bulgaria has been seen as a victory in itself. Much of the focus was trained on his isolation in Varna, and his parents' gruelling schedule of visits to Bulgaria. But his return to the UK merely represents one small step on the road to justice. Shields has been at HMP Hindley for more than six months now, as his campaign team forge a new appeal strategy. Euro MP Arlene McCarthy is due to meet her Bulgarian counterparts this month. She will urge them to re-open the case, bring Interpol into the process and consider the evidence of the eyewitness quoted in this article.

At one stage there was a suggestion that if Shields admitted to a lesser charge then his sentence could be cut drastically. But this was never an option to him. Throughout his two years of incarceration, Michael Shields has remained quietly determined to clear his name. 'I can't admit to something that I haven't done,' he says. 'I'd rather serve the sentence. It's as simple as that.'

Meanwhile, Marie Shields waits for the sound of her son's key in the front door once again.

· To support the campaign for government intervention into Michael Shields's case, go to: petitions.pm.gov.uk/MichaelCShields (http://petitions.pm.gov.uk/MichaelCShields)

Source: The Observer (http://observer.guardian.co.uk/magazine/story/0,,2090686,00.html)

[Jericho]

Powerful stuff. I wish the author had included a response to the recent finding by the European court that due process had taken place. Interpol won't look at a case if someone has been convicted of a crime and the European court is satisfied that the conviction is sound.

[SteH]

Even though I've expressed sceptism that Michael Shields was asleep at the time, that piece has touched me. In reality though there is nowhere else to turn, unless new evidence is found and that can't be yet another person who says they saw him in bed.

Kevin Sampson should also have mentioned that the £40,000 'fine' is actually compensation payable to Mr Georgiev for his injuries and distress. How on earth the Shields family think they can now get this case overturned when they have willingly paid this compensation baffles me. Given the sum was increased and Mr Georgiev now has 15-20 years wages in the bank, I can't see him being too concerned about justice being done.

[shank]

we can only way up the pros and cons and make a decision on Michael's guilt or innocence only he knows the truth. but for what its worth not only do i think this young man is innocent i think first and foremost he is a credit to his family the way he has conducted himself through his nightmare ordeal and also a credit to our city. i think the shields family no the majority of our city believe in his innocence when he gets out i would be honored to shake his hand and welcome him home i no it sounds a bit soft but not knowing him or his family and with me coming from anfield and what other party's from anfield have said i feel as if i have to say we are ashamed at the way some people from anfield have acted in this matter i for one will sign this petition

[lindylou]

Well, as an Anfield person it still doesn't make a difference to my saying I would not dream of making a decision about this case. I do not know if Michael is innocent or not. If I did know the truth I would be I would be clairvoyant or something ! :)

I am sitting firmly on the fence about this one and always have.

is Michael innocent ? The answer is we don't know yet.


As I said in a previous post, my heart goes out to his mum & dad, especially his mum - her pain and anguish must be a lot to cope with.

I feel very sorry for Michael if he is innocent and having to endure being in prison. I would be devastated if it happened to my own son - anyone would be if it was their son.
If it is proven categoricaly that he is innocent I will be very glad and hope Michael can rebuild his life. But as it stands, none of us know the truth.

[shank]

we can only way up the pros and cons and make a decision on Michael's guilt or innocence only he knows the truth. but for what its worth not only do i think this young man is innocent i think first and foremost he is a credit to his family the way he has conducted himself through his nightmare ordeal and also a credit to our city. i think the shields family no the majority of our city believe in his innocence when he gets out i would be honored to shake his hand and welcome him home i no it sounds a bit soft but not knowing him or his family and with me coming from anfield and what other party's from anfield have said i feel as if i have to say we are ashamed at the way some people from anfield have acted in this matter i for one will sign this petition

just to clear up a point i said iam ashamed the way other parties have acted over this case i was referring to the alleged confession made then retracted by graham sankey

[snappel]

we can only way up the pros and cons and make a decision on Michael's guilt or innocence only he knows the truth. but for what its worth not only do i think this young man is innocent i think first and foremost he is a credit to his family the way he has conducted himself through his nightmare ordeal and also a credit to our city. i think the shields family no the majority of our city believe in his innocence when he gets out i would be honored to shake his hand and welcome him home i no it sounds a bit soft but not knowing him or his family and with me coming from anfield and what other party's from anfield have said i feel as if i have to say we are ashamed at the way some people from anfield have acted in this matter i for one will sign this petition
You contradict yourself. You say only he knows if he's innocent, but then in the next sentence you say you believe he is. I know from previous posts of yours that you're an LFC fan - how would you feel if Shields was a Man Utd fan? If the 'majority of our city' believe he's innocent, does that prove anything? No, it just proves that those particular people are far more suggestible.

As I've said before, I think he should have a fair re-trial, and I don't see how anyone can be sure of his innocence (or guilt) otherwise.

[shank]

You contradict yourself. You say only he knows if he's innocent, but then in the next sentence you say you believe he is. I know from previous posts of yours that you're an LFC fan - how would you feel if Shields was a Man Utd fan? If the 'majority of our city' believe he's innocent, does that prove anything? No, it just proves that those particular people are far more suggestible.

As I've said before, I think he should have a fair re-trial, and I don't see how anyone can be sure of his innocence (or guilt) otherwise.

it is not a contradiction to have an opinion and in my opinion i believe he is innocent but only he nos the truth.and as for the man utd jibe if he was i would feel the same way in fact on another thread about Liverpool fans being the worst in Europe i stated that man utd fans where treated disgracefully by the Italian police in Rome .and whats me being a Liverpool fan got to do with it in fact if you had read my threads you would no that i have ****ged L F C off when needed.

[Howie]

The truth of the matter is that Michael Shields did not receive a fair trial (flawed identification evidence, lack of forensic evidence, etc., etc.) and that his conviction is therefore unsound so consequently any debate regarding his actual guilt or innocence is irrelevant.

[shank]

The truth of the matter is that Michael Shields did not receive a fair trial (flawed identification evidence, lack of forensic evidence, etc., etc.) and that his conviction is therefore unsound so consequently any debate regarding his actual guilt or innocence is irrelevant.
well said howie why couldnt i say that (lol) i agree 100%

[shytalk]

New evidence, why did they take so long to come forward?

http://icliverpool.icnetwork.co.uk/liverpoolecho/news/echonews/tm_headline=new-evidence-that-could-clear-shields%26method=full%26objectid=19268957%26siteid =50061-name_page.html

[snappel]

Labour leader Cllr Joe Anderson and the Liverpool Echo have already openly shown that they are impartial and convinced of Shields' innocence. Consequently this looks (to me, anyway) like publicity for something that hasn't been in the headlines recently.

[Sloyne]

Labour leader Cllr Joe Anderson and the Liverpool Echo have already openly shown that they are impartial and convinced of Shields' innocence. Consequently this looks (to me, anyway) like publicity for something that hasn't been in the headlines recently. I think the thing that convinced me of the lads innocence was the fact that another person confessed to the crime and, had witnesses to back up his confession.

[Shapers]

Dossier 'proves Michael Shields is not guilty'Jun 29 2007

by Greg O'Keeffe, Liverpool Echo

A DETERMINED team of Mersey politicians and lawyers will take the fight to free Michael Shields to top Bulgarian MPs.

The group, led by Merseyside Euro MP Arlene McCarthy and city Labour leader Joe Anderson, will present a dossier of dramatic new evidence which they say proves Michael’s innocence.

The evidence includes three new witness statements about the attack on the Bulgarian waiter and unseen footage from ITV’s 2006 documentary on the case.

Bulgaria’s politicians will be asked to view the evidence, which also features a filmed interview with a hotel porter, who saw Michael return to his hotel hours before the paving slab assault on the waiter and a Finnish student who saw him in bed at the time the attack was taking place.

Mrs McCarthy will present the evidence at a specially-arranged meeting when the Euro parliament returns from its summer break in August.

Michael’s family and supporters hope it could eventually lead to a pardon for the Liverpool fan, two years after the attack he has always denied.

Earlier this month, the ECHO revealed how two witnesses named the real culprit when they met Cllr Anderson at McDonald’s in Edge Lane.

The revelation prompted an official city council motion by Cllr Anderson and council leader Warren Bradley for the Bulgarian government to see the evidence.

Mrs McCarthy said: “We want to say to the Bulgarians that there is a bundle of crucial evidence here that has not been looked at.

“We want to sit down with them and show them the film and these witness statements.

“I like things to happen quickly and I am more determined than ever to make sure this takes place.

“I want to convince the Bulgarians thatMichael’s case must be reopened.”

Cllr Anderson said: “I don’t think once they have seen all this new information that anyone could doubt there has been a miscarriage of justice.

“This is the most positive time for many months in terms of our campaign.”

When Cllr Anderson met the witnesses, they described how the waiter fell face down on the floor after one man punched him.

The second then picked up the slab and dropped it on his head.

Michael was jailed for the attack in Bulgaria, where he was staying after watching Liverpool’s dramatic European Cup final over AC Milan.

Negotiations between the British and Bulgarian governments led to the Liverpool man being transferred to serve his sentence in an English prison.

But international law on prison transfers mean Michael’s Bulgarian jailors must be convinced of his innocence before he can be freed.

* The ECHO cannot print the names of either person picked out by witnesses for legal reasons.


http://icliverpool.icnetwork.co.uk/0100news/0100regionalnews/tm_headline=dossier--proves-michael-shields-is-not-guilty-%26method=full%26objectid=19379504%26siteid=50061-name_page.html

[SteH]

His release date has been confirmed as May 2010. I fail to see how 2.5 more years in jail can be a 'victory' in the words of MP Louise Ellman if he is supposed to be innocent. The fact the government has agreed he only needs to serve half the 10 years may also imply that an admission of guilt or remorse has been made - you normally only get time off for good behaviour if you do this.

http://www.liverpoolecho.co.uk/liverpool-news/local-news/2007/09/25/michael-shields-to-be-released-100252-19844625/

[snappel]

But he still leaves prison a convicted criminal, surely? I wouldn't say this is a 'victory' either.

[SteH]

MP Louise Ellman has now named two individuals who she says accomplices have now named as the people who did carry out the attack. If this is true and does turn out to get Michael Shields freed its a pity they couldnt have said the same thing 2.5 years ago.

http://icliverpool.icnetwork.co.uk/0100news/0100regionalnews/tm_headline=pressure-mounts-to-free-michael-shields%26method=full%26objectid=20140914%26siteid =50061-name_page.html

[SteH]

Now it looks like the pair are saying they said nothing of the sort about who carried out the attack, whether this is because they are scared of the alleged real culprits or Joe Anderson is hearing what he wants to hear who knows. It wont do Shields any favours though.

http://icliverpool.icnetwork.co.uk/0100news/0100regionalnews/tm_headline=joe-anderson-tells-michael-shields-witnesses-you-re-just-scared%26method=full%26objectid=20151352%26siteid= 50061-name_page.html

[Kev]

MICHAEL Shields today passed a lie detector test taken to help prove his innocence. Read (http://www.liverpoolecho.co.uk/liverpool-news/local-news/2007/12/20/exclusive-michael-shields-passes-lie-detector-test-100252-20275266/)

[SteH]

MICHAEL Shields today passed a lie detector test taken to help prove his innocence. Read (http://www.liverpoolecho.co.uk/liverpool-news/local-news/2007/12/20/exclusive-michael-shields-passes-lie-detector-test-100252-20275266/)

which although boosts his campaign still isnt admissible in any court should the case be retried

http://legal-dictionary.thefreedictionary.com/Lie+detector+test

[shank]

Yes its true the results of the lie detector are inadmissible in a court of law.But its still a step in the right direction I'm sure a few of you fence sitters are getting splinters in your arse now.

[shytalk]

I am fairly confident of the accuracy of the test when an experienced operator conducts it. Why wasn't this done a long time ago?

[SteH]

Yes its true the results of the lie detector are inadmissible in a court of law.But its still a step in the right direction I'm sure a few of you fence sitters are getting splinters in your arse now.

Not yet because although the lie detector test shows with 95-98% accuracy that Michael wasn't at the scene of the attack the results released havent said he was in bed either. Thats not to say he shouldnt be released in my opinion however, I've just been very dubious about the amount of people who needed to be at his hotel room that night.

[lindylou]

I can't understand the Graham Sankey part of it. Well, was he involved or not ??? First he said he was, then it was retracted. That's a very strange thing isn't it :shock:
I don't know what to think.

[SteH]

Justice Secretary Jack Straw is to meet Bulgarian officials on 6th March to clarify that country's position on Michael being freed.

http://www.liverpoolecho.co.uk/liverpool-news/local-news/2008/02/29/jack-straw-tell-us-how-to-release-michael-shields-100252-20541233/

[Howie]

Michael Shields "confessor" faces jail for racial abuse
Mar 18 2008

A LIVERPOOL football fan named as the man who carried out the attack which led to Michael Shields being jailed has admitted racially abusing a bar doorman.

Anfield electrician Graham Sankey, who once confessed to a near-fatal attack on Bulgarian barman Martin Georgiev, became abusive after being thrown out of a city centre bar.

The 22-year-old was drinking in Walkabout Bar on Concert Square on August 23 last year when he was asked by doorman Solomon Fadipe to leave because the bar was closing.

But the request enraged Sankey, who became abusive and began to shout racially offensive comments towards the Nigerian doorman, even continuing after police arrived.

Sankey, of Charnley Drive in Wavertree, was due to stand trial yesterday (Mon Mar 17), but at the last minute he changed his plea and admitted causing racially aggravated harassment, fear or violence.

More (http://www.liverpooldailypost.co.uk/liverpool-news/regional-news/2008/03/18/michael-shields-confessor-faces-jail-for-racial-abuse-64375-20637686/)...

[lindylou]

hmm.. that says a lot doesn't it ! - - kinda' fits in. :disgust:

- evidently a racist thug - the kind who would attack a Bulgarian waiter perhaps ?? :disgust: :disgust:

[cockney-fella]

MICHAEL Shields today passed a lie detector test taken to help prove his innocence. Read (http://www.liverpoolecho.co.uk/liverpool-news/local-news/2007/12/20/exclusive-michael-shields-passes-lie-detector-test-100252-20275266/)


Lie detectors are'nt infallible which is why the are'nt used in court as evidence, I did an attachment to the Intelligence Corps whilst in the army and they can be beaten easily enough.

[SteH]

hmm.. that says a lot doesn't it ! - - kinda' fits in. :disgust:

- evidently a racist thug - the kind who would attack a Bulgarian waiter perhaps ?? :disgust: :disgust:

He's been jailed for 5 months today.

http://icliverpool.icnetwork.co.uk/0100news/0100regionalnews/tm_headline=graham-sankey-jailed-for-five-months%26method=full%26objectid=20746867%26siteid= 50061-name_page.html

[AntiPathos]

New attempt to have him sprung

http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/england/merseyside/7573858.stm

[burkhilly]

I've signed the petition. I believe he's innocent on the evidence I have seen. He's the same age as my son, and I will always remember his face after he was found guilty. As someone said in an earlier post he's either innocent of a great actor.

[AntiPathos]

High Court rules that Jack Straw does have the necessary power to free him:

BBC NEWS | UK | England | Merseyside | Jailed fan 'can get free pardon' (http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/uk_news/england/merseyside/7788070.stm)

[Paddy]

Then he should free the kid.:PDT_Xtremez_12:

[Max]

Sorry to be Ignorant, but what Is the evidence he's Innocent?

Not saying he did It though either, just been a bit Ignorant on the matter.

[LondonBeatlesFan]

I have always believed that this lad is innocent of the crime. I called to see his mother when I was in Liverpool last week and I am even more convinced of his innocence now. I have no evidence either way, but I believe he is a decent lad from a decent family. I hope that he will soon be released.

[Kev]

Why was the family car targeted by petrol bombers a while ago?

[Paddy]

Bad people Kev :unibrow:

[LondonBeatlesFan]

I didn't know about the car, but that's the way things are these days. If you disagree with someone's point of view or, in this case, think a person is guilty of a crime then it seems to be almost the norm to attack them in one way or another.

I was horrified to read some of the emails which people have sent to Mrs. Shields. In these emails Michael is called four-letter words and his mother told that he is probably being used for fellow-inmates' sexual gratification. Some of them also say that all Scousers are scum, robbers, criminals etc. All the horrible stereotypes are trotted out simply because these neanderthals support a rival football team. There are also some groups on Facebook whose titles express the same sentiments. Sad world!

[Ged]

I wouldn't give some of these backward countries the benefit of my breath on their land. I was reading last week of a bloke in Dubai who was nearly run down by some local chavs who were laughing and when he put the finger up, they stopped, reported it to the police and as it was a jailing offence there he was locked up for 6 weeks and so losing his new contract in work back home and his apartment.

Inside the same jail were westerners who had been locked up because 1) one had a haircut and no longer looked like his passport picture 2) For doing press ups on the beach and it being claimed he was making love to the ground and 3) for breaking wind.

I suppose the spurrious on the spot cash fines go down all too well though as well eh?

As for the Michael Sheilds conviction, at the very least the ID parade and court case was flawed so it's unsafe and wouldn't have stuck here so he should be freed.

[A.D.W]

Saturday 11th April.


http://www.liverpoolviews.co.uk/south/shields/2009/ms1104093.jpg

http://www.liverpoolviews.co.uk/south/shields/2009/ms1104095.jpg

http://www.liverpoolviews.co.uk/south/shields/2009/ms1104097.jpg

http://www.liverpoolviews.co.uk/south/shields/2009/ms1104098.jpg

[Paddy]

The point being Jack Straw is not the Home Secretary Alan Johnson is. The minister of Justice seems to be inventing his job as he goe's along. This government has lost its way.

[Paddy]

There is something even more baffling if you think about it. In October the new supreme court of the United Kingdom starts up.It will be the last court of appeal in the land and consist of a panel of judges like the Supreme court in America. It will have the power to overturn convictions and rulings in all of the UK and even authority over the devolved Courts of Scotland Wales and Northern Ireland. So will it have power over Jack Straw? :finger:

[dave110]

I'll sign your petition. I'll go with my feeling having known Michael's family a very long time and know they brought him up well in saying I think the Lad is Innocent and the whole Michael Shields set up/framing is an absolute disgrace,
Keep up the good work shouting the word..

[Kev]

So has he ben pardoned or what?

[scouse smurf]

According to this (http://www.liverpoolecho.co.uk/liverpool-news/local-news/2009/09/09/michael-shields-freed-after-jack-straw-pardons-liverpool-fc-fan-100252-24600550/) he has

[wsteve55]

Free,at last!:handclap:

[burkhilly]

Absolutely made up - it was a long time coming!!!

[scouse smurf]

Is it time for the compo case now ?

[Howie]

Michael Shields: Justice Secretary Jack Straw's statement in full
Sep 9 2009

1. In July 2005 Michael Shields was convicted in Bulgaria of the attempted murder of a Bulgarian national called Martin Georgiev. Mr Shields and other football supporters had been in the Bulgarian resort of Varna when violence flared in the early hours of 30 May. Mr Shields was sentenced to 15 years, reduced to 10 on appeal. In 2006 he was returned to England to complete his sentence here. He applied for a free pardon under the Royal Prerogative of mercy. However, it had been the long standing practice, on an equally long standing legal interpretation of the Convention on the Transfer of Sentenced Persons, that the ?receiving state? had to respect the decisions of the sentencing state, so the application was not initially entertained. This approach was challenged in a judicial review and on 17 December the Administrative Court declared that I should consider the application and said, ?the grant of a free pardon would appear to require a conclusion that, taking the Bulgarian courts? judgment for what it is and without calling in question its correctness on the material which those courts considered, fresh evidence which the Bulgarian court did not consider, taken with the material which they did consider and their judgment upon it, justifies a conclusion that Michael Shields is morally and technically innocent?.

2. On 2 July, following very careful consideration of all the evidence that was then available, I made a provisional decision to refuse Michael Shields' application for a free pardon. This was however- as I said- provisional. I made clear at the time that I would consider further representations before I made a final decision on his application. My office also contacted Mr Shields? parents to offer them a meeting should they wish to discuss their son?s case with me. They said that they would like to. It took place at Blackburn Town Hall on Friday 28 August. Further representations were received from Mr Shields? legal team and from Fair Trials Abroad later in July. I considered those representations with great care.

3. I have said before that I have spent more time on this case than on any other, during and since my time as Foreign Secretary. I am well aware of the very strong feelings many people have about the safety of Mr Shields? conviction, and over the months I met several of Mr Shields? supporters. But as I explained I had to apply myself to the evidence available and set that against the test established by the administrative Court. I have been assisted in considering Mr Shields? application by Merseyside Police and by one of the country?s leading criminal barristers, Mr David Perry QC. I am very grateful for their assistance. The decision itself was not one I could delegate. It had to be mine.

4. My consideration of the further representations did not, however, persuade me that my 2 July provisional decision was wrong. It was clear to me that I had still not been provided with enough evidence to meet the very high test of ?moral and technical innocence?.

5. However, during the meeting on 28 August with Mr Shields? parents, important new evidence came to light which, when looked at alongside all the previously available evidence, has now satisfied me that Mr Shields meets the high test set by the Court.

6. At this meeting, following a series of questions which I put to the family, I was told for the first time about a visit by two members of the Shields family to the home of a man alleged to be responsible for the crime for which Michael Shields was jailed. I was told that in the course of the visit that man made an oral confession to the crime in front of several other people. This episode, I was told, happened on 22 July 2005, a day after the start of Mr Shields? trial in Bulgaria.

7. Since the 28 August meeting in my constituency further inquiries, including by the Merseyside Police, have been made at my request into the events of 22 July 2005. I will not set out in this statement all the evidence that has come to light over the last two weeks but suffice it to say that there is very good reason to believe I was being told the truth. This in my view profoundly changed the credibility of the various accounts of what actually happened in this case.

8. Whether or not this new evidence would have been admissible at Mr Shields' trial in Bulgaria, it is highly relevant to my consideration of Mr Shields' application for a pardon.

9. No reference to the events which took place on 22 July 2005 was contained in any of the formal written representations I received either before or after I made my provisional decision on 2 July. Mr Shields? current solicitors have told us that they did not know about them, and their potential significance had not been fully appreciated by those who had been made aware of them. #

10. It is clear that the victim in this case, Mr Martin Georgiev, was subjected to a brutal and vicious attack. It is not for me to say who was responsible for this disgraceful assault. That is a matter for the criminal courts in Bulgaria. The new evidence which has emerged from the meeting with Mr Shields? parents and from Merseyside Police?s subsequent inquiries has been passed to the Bulgarian authorities by the British Ambassador in Sofia.

11. My decision does not amount to a criticism of the Bulgarian courts? judgment in this case. I have seen evidence that they did not.

12. In assessing this difficult case I was tasked, as I have already mentioned, by the Administrative Court in December 2008 to determine whether having considered any fresh evidence which the Bulgarian courts did not consider, alongside that which they did, it would be justifiable to conclude that Michael Shields is morally and technically innocent.

13. I have concluded, having looked carefully at all the evidence now available, that Michael Shields is telling the truth when he says he is innocent of the attempted murder of which he was convicted in Bulgaria. That being so I have recommended to Her Majesty the Queen that he should be granted a free pardon. Mr Shields is being released from prison today and will return home to his family a free man.

14. I have spent a great deal of time on this case, both before the Administrative Court hearing in December last year and subsequently. I felt it was of critical importance that my consideration of Mr Shields? application was full, thorough and above all demonstrably fair. Indeed, it is the thoroughness and fairness of the process ? particularly giving Mr Shields? family the opportunity to talk to me face to face before I made my final decision - which enabled the new evidence to come to light.

15. I add this as a postscript, one issue that has emerged from this case is the appropriateness or otherwise of the Justice Secretary, rather than a court, exercising this power over a prisoner?s liberty involving finding of fact in an alleged miscarriages of justice, particularly in relation to cases from abroad. I am clear, even with expert advice, that a quasi-judicial role such as this is not a suitable function for the Executive. I shall therefore be exploring alternative options for dealing with any future cases which arise.

16. For now I wish Mr Shields and his family well.

Source: Liverpool Echo (http://www.liverpoolecho.co.uk/liverpool-news/local-news/2009/09/09/michael-shields-justice-secretary-jack-straw-s-statement-in-full-100252-24644816/)

[Howie]

September 10, 2009

Free at last, but why did Michael Shields?s pardon take so long?

http://www.timesonline.co.uk/multimedia/archive/00611/shields_611291a.jpg

Jack Straw, the Justice Secretary, latched on to a comment made in passing from Mr Shields Sr when he met the family on August 28. They presented him with new evidence, believed to be the oral confession of another man, Graham Sankey, to the attack made on the second day of Mr Shields? trial in Bulgaria. Mr Shields Sr said that his daughter Melissa had visited Mr Sankey, and that in front of his parents he confessed to the assault.

Mr Straw said: ?I was told in the course of the visit that the man made an oral confession in front of several people. This episode, I was told, happened on July 22, 2005, a day after the start of Mr Shields? trial in Bulgaria.

?I will not set out in this statement all the evidence that has come to light over the last two weeks but suffice it to say that there is very good reason to believe I was being told the truth. This, in my view, profoundly changed the credibility of the various accounts of what actually happened in this case.?

After he was told of the confession, Mr Straw asked Merseyside Police to make further inquiries.

Although Mr Straw has been aware of Mr Sankey?s public confession for some time, the particular episode involving Miss Shields did not form any part of the representations to the minister either before or after his provisional judgment.

One source said: ?It is safe to say that if that had not come out at the meeting, it would have been a case of ?I?m sorry but you are staying in jail?. It tipped it over the edge?.

Mr Straw now questions the appropriateness of his role, as Justice Secretary, in granting pardons and exercising power over a prisoner?s liberty, and says that he will explore alternative options.

Mr Shields, looking gaunt, delivered a sober assessment at a press confererence hours after his release. He said: ?The last four years have been the hardest four years of my life. I would like to say a massive thank you to all those people out there, including Liverpool and Everton football fans, who have supported me and my family over the last four years by writing letters, by protesting, by marching. Your voices were heard. Thanks to you, I knew I would never walk alone.?

The Anglican Bishop of Liverpool, the Right Rev James Jones, read out a statement on Mr Shields? behalf. He said: ?Most of all I want to thank my mum and dad, my sisters, my family and my friends, who never for one minute doubted my innocence.

?It is a hard thing to be locked away for a crime you did not commit. I was just 18 when I was arrested. I am now 22 and face having to rebuild a life which was shattered by the failure of two legal systems, one here in the UK and one in Bulgaria.

?Today is a happy day for me but one of mixed emotion too. I am a free man, yes, but it should not have come to this. I would like to extend my sympathy to the family of Martin Georgiev, who was the innocent victim of an unprovoked attack. He and his family, like me and mine, have been denied justice for four long years.?

Mr Shields, whose team had won the 2005 Champions League Final in Bulgaria, was arrested after Mr Georgiev, a barman, was struck over the head with a rock. He was jailed for 15 years despite claiming that he was asleep in his hotel at the time. He was later transferred to prison in England.

As recently as July 2 Mr Straw delivered what appeared to be a devastating setback when he declined to grant a pardon because he was not persuaded of Mr Shields? innocence.

His legal team appeared bemused yesterday by Mr Straw?s explanation. John Weate, Mr Shields? barrister, suggested that the new evidence highlighted by Mr Straw was ?corroborative? rather than fresh. He said: ?We have at all stages submitted as compelling a case on his behalf as possible. We do not want to get into some kind of spat with the Secretary of State but if he finds some piece of evidence as important, that is fine with us.?

It is known that Mr Straw had been subjected to political pressure from Brendan Barber, leader of the TUC. At one stage Michael Shields Sr threatened to stand in opposition to Mr Straw in his Blackburn constituency.

Mr Shields? lawyers say that in effect Mr Straw had the evidence to issue a pardon at his disposal for many months but prolonged their client?s prison stay for no good reason. They appear unconvinced by Mr Straw?s apparent change of heart, which came at a time when the campaign was moving into the political arena during party conference season.

It has yet to be decided whether Mr Shields will pursue the campaign to have his conviction quashed in the Bulgarian courts.

Source: Times Online (http://www.timesonline.co.uk/tol/news/uk/crime/article6828279.ece)

[wsteve55]

Seems odd,that Jack Straw wasn't aware of the fact that someone else,had admitted to the crime,and even odder,that Michael Shields solicitor didn't,either? (That's what was said on the news, tonight!)

[Spike]

Seems odd,that Jack Straw wasn't aware of the fact that someone else,had admitted to the crime,and even odder,that Michael Shields solicitor didn't,either? (That's what was said on the news, tonight!)

I agree, I heard that on Sky News tonight. Still im glad the lad is out. Boy has he lost weight.

[Kev]

He looks very trim!

[underworld]

He seems a nice genuine lad. I'm very pleased for him.

[Howie]

Shields watches Liverpool victory

Liverpool fan Michael Shields received a warm welcome from fellow supporters as he watched his team at Anfield for the first time since being freed.

http://newsimg.bbc.co.uk/media/images/46367000/jpg/_46367339_shieldsanfieldbody.jpg
The 22-year-old was greeted by fellow Liverpool fans

The 22-year-old saw Liverpool beat Burnley in a comfortable 4-0 win. The last game he had watched was the club's Champions League final win in 2005.

On his journey home from that game he was accused of trying to kill a barman in Bulgaria.

Justice Secretary Jack Straw approved a royal pardon on Wednesday.

As Mr Shields took his seat on Saturday, fans greeted him and shook his hand.

Mr Shields was invited to Saturday's game along with his father Michael Snr, his mother, Maria, and his two sisters.

He was released from Thorn Cross Young Offenders Institute, in Warrington, on the same day.

Mr Shields had said the prospect of attending a Liverpool match with his father had kept him going while in jail.

Source: BBC NEWS | Merseyside (http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/england/merseyside/8252516.stm)

[Jarvis]

Brilliant news that he has been released and excellent that he was at the game on Saturday. I'm sure he's been waiting for that moment for a very long time.

[bgkk.rock]

Hurray! I was delighted.. Thank God,, He is in Liverpool , and I wanna congratulate him :PDT_Aliboronz_11: and his family, also all stuff who struggled for. All the best to Michael Shields. Goody, goody gumdrops lol ))) He coped and proved, :PDT11 that he is innocent, established the truth and validity of by presentation of evidence. Michael Shields established the authenticity of innocent.Despite this it has taken four years for the campaign for justice for Michael to secure his release, and shamefully the Bulgarian authorities have failed, and still fail, to correct their mistake. Michael Shield is morally and technically innocent . Have a good day, lad... YNWA! Good luck! :snf (41): :PDT_Aliboronz_24: