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| Version 2 | Version 3 |
|---|---|
| Fan's High Court bid for freedom | Fan's High Court bid for freedom |
| (about 3 hours later) | |
| Jailed Liverpool fan Michael Shields is due to take his bid for freedom to the High Court in London. | Jailed Liverpool fan Michael Shields is due to take his bid for freedom to the High Court in London. |
| He is serving a 10-year sentence for the attempted murder of a barman in Bulgaria, but maintains his innocence. | He is serving a 10-year sentence for the attempted murder of a barman in Bulgaria, but maintains his innocence. |
| Bulgarian officials have said his release rests with authorities in the UK, where he is serving his sentence. | Bulgarian officials have said his release rests with authorities in the UK, where he is serving his sentence. |
| Shields, 22, is seeking a judicial review at the High Court after Justice Secretary Jack Straw refused to issue a free pardon cancelling his conviction. | Shields, 22, is seeking a judicial review at the High Court after Justice Secretary Jack Straw refused to issue a free pardon cancelling his conviction. |
| Mr Straw has said he has no jurisdiction to consider either a pardon or an early release - and insisted it was down to Bulgarian authorities. | Mr Straw has said he has no jurisdiction to consider either a pardon or an early release - and insisted it was down to Bulgarian authorities. |
| The review call will challenge his ruling regarding "the power to grant a pardon to repatriated prisoners wrongly convicted in a foreign jurisdiction". | The review call will challenge his ruling regarding "the power to grant a pardon to repatriated prisoners wrongly convicted in a foreign jurisdiction". |
| Three-and-a-half years for an 18-year-old to be locked up for a crime he did not commit; it's heartbreaking and it has destroyed him Maria Shields | Three-and-a-half years for an 18-year-old to be locked up for a crime he did not commit; it's heartbreaking and it has destroyed him Maria Shields |
| His father Michael said: "The Bulgarians have said they've got no objection to the British releasing Michael, they've said it to numerous people and what we want is judges to look at it and decide has Jack Straw has got the power. | |
| "It's very sad for us to take our own government to court over this terrible injustice, it shouldn't be landing on the British courts. | "It's very sad for us to take our own government to court over this terrible injustice, it shouldn't be landing on the British courts. |
| "The Bulgarians should have got this mess sorted out as soon as it happened." | "The Bulgarians should have got this mess sorted out as soon as it happened." |
| Shields was convicted of attempted murder after a paving slab was dropped on barman Martin Georgiev's head. | Shields was convicted of attempted murder after a paving slab was dropped on barman Martin Georgiev's head. |
| The attack followed Liverpool's Champions League final victory in Istanbul in May 2005. | The attack followed Liverpool's Champions League final victory in Istanbul in May 2005. |
| 'Taken toll' | 'Taken toll' |
| Shields is currently serving the remainder of his sentence, which was cut to 10 years on appeal in Bulgaria, at HMP Haverigg in Cumbria. | Shields is currently serving the remainder of his sentence, which was cut to 10 years on appeal in Bulgaria, at HMP Haverigg in Cumbria. |
| He maintains he is innocent, and Fair Trials Abroad has described his conviction as a blatant miscarriage of justice. | He maintains he is innocent, and Fair Trials Abroad has described his conviction as a blatant miscarriage of justice. |
| Shields' mother Maria said the conviction has "taken its toll" on him. | Shields' mother Maria said the conviction has "taken its toll" on him. |
| "Three-and-a-half years for an 18-year-old to be locked up for a crime he did not commit, it's heartbreaking and it has destroyed him," she said. | "Three-and-a-half years for an 18-year-old to be locked up for a crime he did not commit, it's heartbreaking and it has destroyed him," she said. |
| The Bishop of Liverpool, the Right Reverend James Jones, has described the case as "a travesty of justice". | The Bishop of Liverpool, the Right Reverend James Jones, has described the case as "a travesty of justice". |
| Shields also has the backing of the team he supports. Liverpool players wore "Free Michael now" T-shirts while warming up for Monday's game with West Ham at Anfield. | Shields also has the backing of the team he supports. Liverpool players wore "Free Michael now" T-shirts while warming up for Monday's game with West Ham at Anfield. |