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| Version 5 | Version 6 |
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| No decision over Shields pardon | No decision over Shields pardon |
| (9 minutes later) | |
| The High Court has reserved judgement in the case of jailed Liverpool fan Michael Shields. | |
| He is serving 10 years for the attempted murder of a Bulgarian barman, but has launched a bid to be pardoned. | |
| Solicitors for Shields, from Edge Hill, have argued the conviction was based on thin evidence. | Solicitors for Shields, from Edge Hill, have argued the conviction was based on thin evidence. |
| Shields, 22, is seeking a judicial review after Justice Secretary Jack Straw refused to issue a free pardon cancelling his conviction. | Shields, 22, is seeking a judicial review after Justice Secretary Jack Straw refused to issue a free pardon cancelling his conviction. |
| The Liverpool man's solicitors said the decision, on Thursday, left their client in a "legal limbo". | The Liverpool man's solicitors said the decision, on Thursday, left their client in a "legal limbo". |
| Two High Court judges were urged to rule that Mr Straw could exercise the ancient "royal prerogative of mercy". | Two High Court judges were urged to rule that Mr Straw could exercise the ancient "royal prerogative of mercy". |
| The power to pardon is rarely used, but is exercised when a person is deemed to be "morally and technically innocent". | The power to pardon is rarely used, but is exercised when a person is deemed to be "morally and technically innocent". |
| Mr Straw has previously 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 previously said he has no jurisdiction to consider either a pardon or an early release - and insisted it was down to Bulgarian authorities. |
| 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, mother | 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, mother |
| Shields has always maintained his innocence, and Fair Trials Abroad described his conviction as a blatant miscarriage of justice. | Shields has always maintained his innocence, and Fair Trials Abroad described his conviction as a blatant miscarriage of justice. |
| Another fan - not an associate of Shields - signed a statement admitting he was the man responsible. | Another fan - not an associate of Shields - signed a statement admitting he was the man responsible. |
| But the Bulgarian Supreme Judicial Council said the evidence did not prove anything and merely introduced doubt. | But the Bulgarian Supreme Judicial Council said the evidence did not prove anything and merely introduced doubt. |
| Lord Justice May and Mr Justice Maddison were asked to decide whether there were powers "to grant a pardon to repatriated prisoners wrongly convicted in a foreign jurisdiction". | Lord Justice May and Mr Justice Maddison were asked to decide whether there were powers "to grant a pardon to repatriated prisoners wrongly convicted in a foreign jurisdiction". |
| The judges heard that Shields had taken a polygraph lie-detector test. | The judges heard that Shields had taken a polygraph lie-detector test. |
| Sentence 'taken toll' | Sentence 'taken toll' |
| 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. |
| 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. |
| Shields' mother Maria said the conviction had "taken its toll" on him. | Shields' mother Maria said the conviction had "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. |