Backers of Michael Shields are drawing up further appeals in Westminster and Brussels following UK justice secretary Jack Straw's decision to decline a pardon for the jailed football fan.

In a 'provisional; decision on July 2, Straw said he was unable to conclude that the 22-year-old was "morally and technically innocent", according to a UK Ministry of Justice spokesman.

Shields was convicted in Bulgaria in July 2005 of smashing a rock over Georgiev's head during a street brawl in the resort of Golden Sands. He was later transferred back to a British prison to finish his 10-year sentence. Another Liverpool man, Graham Sankey, admitted carrying out the attack, although he later withdrew his confession.

Shields' father, Michael Senior, says Straw should meet a new witness who can prove his son is innocent. "I will meet Jack Straw myself and I will go down for a meeting with this witness and let them tell Mr Straw to his face that Michael is innocent," he said.

Liverpool Riverside MP Louise Ellman is spearheading efforts, on Shields' behalf, to ensure that all evidence is made available to Straw before the August 3 deadline he has imposed.

Quoted in the Liverpool Echo, Ellman, who has long campaigned for Shields' release, says: "Of course we were all deeply disappointed and very disturbed by his (Straw's) provisional decision but the campaign must continue. There is a month to make further representations and bring forward evidence showing Michael’s innocence. We must keep working to secure Michael’s long overdue release. A key factor will be the report sent to the justice secretary by Merseyside police. It is important the contents of that are released."

Merseyside MEP Arlene McCarthy is also lodging an in-depth appeal with Straw.
"The failure of Bulgaria to accept their democratic responsibilities to right a terrible wrong has now got to be challenged by the UK government. The petition we submitted is still open and I will now be asking the European parliament to see Bulgaria honours the European treaty so justice can be done. This is by no means the end of the line," McCarthy said in a statement.

Meanwhile, the Liverpool Echo is appealing to Sankey to come forward again and 'admit' his role in the crime. Brian Reade, writing in the paper, addresses himself personally to Sankey in his piece. "Do you want to spend the rest of your life being pointed at as the man with no bottle? Do you want to keep waking up in a sweat knowing that you've put a young man, who had never been inside a police station in his life, through this agony?"