[abdus]

seems like he has been pardoned. Just read that on the LFC board. No link on the net though

Great news

posted it here (being more football related).

[Citizen J]

Yeah just saw this myself. Interesting as if I remember correctly he has always maintained his innocence and now "new evidence has emerged" which has instigated his release. Hope he can get back to some normality once he’s out.

[raigraphixs]

Great news

[Miyazaki]

Surely someone should be accountable for this miscarriage of justice? in the EU Human rights court or something??

[DeejayAJ]

Originally Posted by Miyazaki

Surely someone should be accountable for this miscarriage of justice? in the EU Human rights court or something??

Technically its not a miscarriage of justice because legally hes still guilty of attempted murder in turkey, a pardon only means he is innocent in this country doesn't it ?

Might of got this completely wrong.

Great news though

[SparkShot]

Originally Posted by DeejayAJ

Technically its not a miscarriage of justice because legally hes still guilty of attempted murder in turkey, a pardon only means he is innocent in this country doesn't it ?

Might of got this completely wrong.

Great news though

Not so great news if he isn't innocent though as thats the kind of person we have enough problems with in this country with already.

Would probably have been better if he served his sentence in the uk rather than letting him off completely.

[Abbeygoo]

Originally Posted by SparkShot

Not so great news if he isn't innocent though as thats the kind of person we have enough problems with in this country with already.

Would probably have been better if he served his sentence in the uk rather than letting him off completely.

Think you'd better read up a bit on this case fella as Shields has been pardoned and the alleged guilty man has confessed to the attack - as he did at the time but this was withdrawn a couple of days later.

Letting him off completely? Serve his sentence in the UK?

[Blue Lou]

Mixed response here in Liverpool..

Today there's an 8-page special in the Liverpool Echo saying how great it is he is released.

Some people are left scratching their head as to how he was released. Apparnetly members of Shields' family paid a visit to someone who admitted they were responsible for it and Jack Straw has accepted it as new evidence.

There's also reports that he climbed a drainpipe to get into his hotel room because he was too drunk to use his hotel's swipe card key.

It's very controversial.

[SparkShot]

Originally Posted by Abbeygoo

Think you'd better read up a bit on this case fella as Shields has been pardoned and the alleged guilty man has confessed to the attack - as he did at the time but this was withdrawn a couple of days later.

Letting him off completely? Serve his sentence in the UK?

Just been reading about it on the bbc site.

BBC NEWS | England | Merseyside | Shields release angers Bulgarians

The whole thing seems a bit suspect.

Guilty in Bulgaria?

Innocent in UK?

A very lucky boy if you ask me.

[Abbeygoo]

Originally Posted by SparkShot

The whole thing seems a bit suspect.

It does indeed .... taken from the Independent today ....

On 29 May 2005, five days after Liverpool's European triumph, the contingent of fans was back in Varna, partying all night at the Bonkers bar and sleeping by day. On that penultimate evening of his trip, his suitcase already packed, Mr Shields had gone to bed earlier than other fans and was spotted by the porter at the Hotel Kristal returning to his room at 2am. Crucially he had been wearing a cream T-shirt. At 5am trouble flared between a group of Britons and some local men. Mr Georgiev stepped in to stop the trouble but was punched to the ground by a man witnesses said was dressed in a white T-shirt. As he lay on the floor the rock was dropped on his head, fracturing his skull.

Police arrested three men, including Mr Sankey, the following morning. Officers took Mr Shields away to a local police station where he was chained to a radiator for 16 hours in sight of witnesses. He was asked to don a white T-shirt and take part in an identity parade with a group of three dark-skinned Bulgarian men all of whom were wearing jumpers. That identification was to form the basis of his conviction for attempted murder.

[SparkShot]

As he lay on the floor the rock was dropped on his head, fracturing his skull

Sounds like a lovely fellow.

I just hope our goverment hasn't made a major mistake in giving this guy a pardon.

[Abbeygoo]

Originally Posted by SparkShot

Sounds like a lovely fellow.

I just hope our goverment hasn't made a major mistake in giving this guy a pardon.

You quoted that one line what do you make of the other parts of the Independent's report ...

On that penultimate evening of his trip, his suitcase already packed, Mr Shields had gone to bed earlier than other fans and was spotted by the porter at the Hotel Kristal returning to his room at 2am. Crucially he had been wearing a cream T-shirt. At 5am trouble flared between a group of Britons and some local men. Mr Georgiev stepped in to stop the trouble but was punched to the ground by a man witnesses said was dressed in a white T-shirt. As he lay on the floor the rock was dropped on his head, fracturing his skull.

Police arrested three men, including Mr Sankey, the following morning. Officers took Mr Shields away to a local police station where he was chained to a radiator for 16 hours in sight of witnesses. He was asked to don a white T-shirt and take part in an identity parade with a group of three dark-skinned Bulgarian men all of whom were wearing jumpers. That identification was to form the basis of his conviction for attempted murder.

[SparkShot]

Originally Posted by Abbeygoo

You quoted that one line what do you make of the other parts of the Independent's report ...

On that penultimate evening of his trip, his suitcase already packed, Mr Shields had gone to bed earlier than other fans and was spotted by the porter at the Hotel Kristal returning to his room at 2am. Crucially he had been wearing a cream T-shirt. At 5am trouble flared between a group of Britons and some local men. Mr Georgiev stepped in to stop the trouble but was punched to the ground by a man witnesses said was dressed in a white T-shirt. As he lay on the floor the rock was dropped on his head, fracturing his skull.

Police arrested three men, including Mr Sankey, the following morning. Officers took Mr Shields away to a local police station where he was chained to a radiator for 16 hours in sight of witnesses. He was asked to don a white T-shirt and take part in an identity parade with a group of three dark-skinned Bulgarian men all of whom were wearing jumpers. That identification was to form the basis of his conviction for attempted murder.

Doesn't look very good tbh, but then again a uk newspaper would make the events sound like that.

The whole "he had a early night" sounds a bit suss though.

[DeejayAJ]

I doubt he did it from what I've heard, there was a statement from a ex policeman that was on the case that said they was looking for a guy in the next room but because he wasn't in they just arrested Micheal

[JimmyHart]

I don't need to add any more to what has been said about the white t shirt, someone admitting to it then withdrawing the statement and now admitting it again. But I do feel the need to reply to SparkShot. You are accusing someone of being guilty of attempted murder, I think it would be sensible to at least try and back up your claims instead of "The whole "he had a early night" sounds a bit suss though. ". Where does that statement even come from? What's suspect about people saying he went to bed early?

I would your imagine your posts are football rivalry based and not actually about whether a man is guilty of a crime or not. Even if they are, at least have some respect and justify your claims.

[SparkShot]

Originally Posted by JimmyHart84

I don't need to add any more to what has been said about the white t shirt, someone admitting to it then withdrawing the statement and now admitting it again. But I do feel the need to reply to SparkShot. You are accusing someone of being guilty of attempted murder, I think it would be sensible to at least try and back up your claims instead of "The whole "he had a early night" sounds a bit suss though. ". Where does that statement even come from? What's suspect about people saying he went to bed early?

I would your imagine your posts are football rivalry based and not actually about whether a man is guilty of a crime or not. Even if they are, at least have some respect and justify your claims.

I never said he was guilty for sure but no-one seems to know weather he is 100% innocent as of yet (this seems to vary from country to country). Someone must have done it after all.

The guys alibi (based on the story in the independent) does sound like something straight from an episode of the bill.

Looks like whoever did do it has pretty much got away with it now.

[Abbeygoo]

Originally Posted by JimmyHart84

I would your imagine your posts are football rivalry based and not actually about whether a man is guilty of a crime or not. Even if they are, at least have some respect and justify your claims.

Well said.

The conviction in the first place was very dodgy and had holes through it particularly concerning the colour of the t shirt, the time of the attack and the ID parade arranged by the Bulgarian police. Add to that the confession (then withdrawn) and it seems that Shields was indeed a victim in this case too.

It remains to be seen whether the Bulgarian authorities switch their attention to Sankey to press for criminal charges as they seem intent that Shields is their man.

[kopchoir]

Originally Posted by Abbeygoo

they seem intent that Shields is their man.

Well they wont want to loose face i hear shields will be going to bulgaria when he has settled into normal life to clear his name as well

[Abbeygoo]

Originally Posted by kopchoir

Well they wont want to loose face i hear shields will be going to bulgaria when he has settled into normal life to clear his name as well

christ, I wouldn't go anywhere near that country again if I was him as they still think his conviction stands .... why rock the boat?

[Woodywizz]

I know that the British legal system is often criticised with regard to 'light' sentencing and being not punitive enough for certain offenders, but - for me anyway - this case hilights the fact that our justice system is one of the finest in the world. I doubt very much whether Mr Shields would have even been brought to trial in this country, there was more than a reasonable doubt that he committed the crime and the laughable Bulgarian identification parade procedure is no match to the stringent id procedures which are laid down in this country by PACE. Also the fact that there was no other credible corroborative evidence makes this whole case a complete sham.

As a Utd fan then I obviously despise the scousers, but I for one am happy that Mr Shields has been pardoned and given his liberty back - miscarriages of justice which deprive a young man of his freedom greatly upset me more than any local rivalry.

[JimmyHart]

Woodywizz, top man for that comment. Nothing wrong with a rivalry but when it comes down to things like this, it should be put out of the window. What really annoys me is people who sing about or make nasty comments about Hillsborough or Munich, it's not rivalry, it's sick.

[alexs2]

Time to close this ...old news.