Liverpool fan Michael Shields, charged with attempted murder by a Bulgarian court, was sentenced to fifteen years in prison in July last year, despite another man admitting responsibility. Photo by BTA
Michael Shields, the British football fan jailed in Bulgaria for the attempted murder of a barmaid, is to make a final appeal for a retrial.
Michael Shields, now 19, was jailed for 15 years after being convicted of attempted murder of bartender Martin Georgiev in the Golden Sands resort.
Another Liverpool fan Graham Sankey, 20, later confessed to the crime but refused to come back to Bulgaria and give evidence in person. Consequently the Bulgarian authorities refused to consider the evidence.
The two were holidaying in the Bulgarian resort after seeing their favourite team win the Champions League final.
Shields insisted he was asleep in bed when a concrete slab was dropped on Martin Georgiev's head.
Meanwhile, Sankey issued a written confession to the attack through a Merseyside-based solicitor, but the document was rejected by the trial judge.
Bulgaria's Supreme Court in Sofia will rule on whether Shields' original trial was flawed on procedural grounds. If so, the court can order a retrial.
The court is not expected to make a reserve judgement for several days.