THE way Liverpool Football Club and the British tabloids (The Liverpool Echo, The Sun, The Daily Mirror etc.) have been supporting Michael Shields is absolutely disgusting. Both the club and press have totally been ignoring the witness statements from Martin Georgiev and his colleagues who all identified Shields as the one who tried to murder Georgiev:
Three Bulgarian witnesses told the court that they saw Shields pick up an 8lb paving slab and bring it down on Mr Georgievs head, while Wilson and Thompson laid into him with hefty kicks. Daniela Krumova, a waitress working at Big Bens, identified Shields as the person who hit Mr Georgiev with the slab. He was like mad, she said, out of control.
According to Ms Krumova, Shields held the slab with both hands above his head and threw it at Mr Georgievs head with all his might. The strength of the impact was such that the stone bounced off the victims head.
Danail Yordanov, also working at Big Bens, recognised Shields as the person who hit Mr Georgiev with the slab. However, he said that he had not seen Shields face from the front, but only in profile.
Vassil Todorov, who was in Big Bens at the time of the incident, told the court that he saw Shields taking part in the fight. He was standing over Martin Georgiev and had foam coming out of his mouth, he said.
After the attack, the police were called and told by Mr Todorov that an Englishman at the scene had said the assailants were staying at the Kristal hotel. The next morning a number of English fans, including those staying at the hotel, were rounded up by the police. Shields was among them, as were his friends Kieron Dunne, (20), and John Unsworth,( 21). All three had been sharing room 419. Room 421 next door had been occupied by Wilson and Thompson, who were friends of Mr Sankey, until both had been evicted by the hotel management earlier for disturbing other guests. The two groups had become friendly and had spent previous mornings on their neighbouring balconies comparing notes from the nights revelries. (Daniel Foggo, www.telegraph.co.uk)
For Liverpool FC to allow a player like Jamie Callagher to join the media hysteria and even dedicate goals to his cause is unbelievable. Shields was tried in open court in a democratic country and so far the only doubt about this case is a statement from a fellow hooligan who is not man enough to show his face in court.
I really wonder how the British public and press would react if a Bulgarian were to commit a similar crime in the UK and have a friend make a statement back in Bulgaria. I really wonder if anyone would even consider sending the poor Bulgarian kid home just because his mum claims hes so lovely...
For the media to request the Bulgarian and British governments get involved in what is a purely judicial case, is totally out-of-order. The Varna court even went as far to publish their motives and verdict online, http://www.vcourts.org/aktual.htm. Of course this is done in Bulgarian as this is the language spoken in this country. (How often is this done in the UK?)
I hope that neither the prosecutor, judge, Minister of Justice nor any member of the British government allow themselves to be intimidated by this unjust attack on the right of Martin Georgiev to see his attacker prosecuted.
Considering the influx of Football Hooligans, Lager Louts and other sorts of lower forms of human species from that Greatest of Britains, the Bulgarian Government should consider a visa regime similuar to the one the Brits apply to the Bulgarians. At least we can ask from the Ministers of Interior and Justice for some 'Face Control' at the borders so we can all feel a little safer in the knowledge that the worst ones didn't make it in...
Description: Baby Faced, Clean Shaven and wearing one of those lovely red Liverpool shirts which matches their blood shot eyes!!!
Cynics comment that the only reason Georgiev and the other Bulgarians pointed at Shields was because Martin Georgiev wanted to collect the compensation money. I dont know about anyone else, but Shields doesnt look very rich to me and moreover this compensation money was awarded during the trial, not the next morning.
Some other idiot journalist compared this case with the Nurses in Libya. This kind of ignorance could even end up given the British Trash Press a bad name.
Maybe this court case will draw a line in the sand for these hooligans who seem to think that they can behave abroad in any way they choose since they are British, Dutch, German or whatever...
Samo Bulgaria!!!
