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Fri, Feb 10 2012
Pardon decision on Michael Shields expected within days
According to UK daily the Guardian, the UK justice ministry had confirmed that a decision whether to pardon jailed Liverpool football fan Michael Shields was days away.
As reported earlier, a decision was expected by the end of June.
On June 26, the Guardian said a decision could be expected on June 30.
Shields (22) was found guilty by Bulgarian courts of the attempted murder of Martin Georgiev by repeatedly hitting the bartender with a paving slab. Appeals to the highest Bulgarian courts and to a European court to overturn his conviction failed.
Shields, 22, was transferred to the UK in 2006 after his 15-year sentence for the attempted murder of barman Martin Georgiev in the Black Sea resort of Varna was reduced on appeal to 10 years.
In December 2008, London's High Court ruled that a pardon relied upon fresh evidence which had not been considered by the Bulgarian courts. A confession by another Liverpool fan, Graham Sankey, which he later retracted, would not form part of the new evidence, the judges said.
A spokesperson for the justice ministry was quoted by the Guardian as saying that justice minister Jack Straw was "determined to make the best and fairest decision that he can, but he can only do so after properly assessing all of the material that is available".
As reported earlier, a decision was expected by the end of June.
On June 26, the Guardian said a decision could be expected on June 30.
Shields (22) was found guilty by Bulgarian courts of the attempted murder of Martin Georgiev by repeatedly hitting the bartender with a paving slab. Appeals to the highest Bulgarian courts and to a European court to overturn his conviction failed.
Shields, 22, was transferred to the UK in 2006 after his 15-year sentence for the attempted murder of barman Martin Georgiev in the Black Sea resort of Varna was reduced on appeal to 10 years.
In December 2008, London's High Court ruled that a pardon relied upon fresh evidence which had not been considered by the Bulgarian courts. A confession by another Liverpool fan, Graham Sankey, which he later retracted, would not form part of the new evidence, the judges said.
A spokesperson for the justice ministry was quoted by the Guardian as saying that justice minister Jack Straw was "determined to make the best and fairest decision that he can, but he can only do so after properly assessing all of the material that is available".
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Jack Straw's statement on Michael Shields
This is the full text of the September 9 2009 statement by UK justice secretary Jack Straw on his decision to pardon Michael Shields.
Straw keeping an open mind about Michael Shields pardon decision
UK justice secretary Jack Straw says he is prepared to consider any new representations before a final decision on pardoning attempted murder convict Michael Shields.
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So in any case it's all academic because Jack Straw has refused a pardon citing lack of evidence to prove he is innocent.
And he's right. The man was convicted in Bulgaria and this has equally as much significance as a UK conviction. Until there is significant evidence to the contrary, or Sankey admits guilt - then he should serve the sentence.
It just goes to show that the whole hullaballoo about Shields not being guilty and that one could not get a fair trial in a Bulgarian court was just that, a hullaballoo. If his conviction was not only confirmed by the Supreme Court of Cassation, but also by the European Court, it more than proves his guilt. (And when one does the crime, one must be man enough to do the crime.) One may hope that the typical suspicion so generously cast over Bulgarian courts has at least in one instance been rebuffed beyond reasonable doubt and that courts show [...]
Read the full comment the same relentless consistency.
They should lock the pari fo them up. There is no justice in UK anymore - so full of do gooders and luvvies.
It's a real travesty of justice for poor Martin Georgiev. However, to me it looked all along like Graham Sankey was the one to blame for this. He went into hiding, issued a confession and then mysteriously retracted it, and refused to be tried in Bulgaria. This could well be a massive mis-carriage of justice for Michael Shields too.
Irrespective, whoever did this, my heart goes out to Martin Georgiev and his family.
What a British justice is saying is - that a Bulgarian live is cheaper than the British one.
Just imagine that a Bulgarian fun crush a head of an English bartender in UK – the Bulgarian will be lynched on the spot.
So I will suggest to everyone jumping against the Bulgarian justice – first to put Shields behind bars, where his place is.
Or to say thank you very much Bulgaria for not keeping our tags behind bars.
So which Scouser carried out this attack then ?