Louise Ellman, Labour MP for Liverpool Riverside, has asked leader of the House of Commons Geoff Hoon to pressurise the Bulgarians after Sofia court sentenced a British football fan to ten years in jail.

"While the reduction in sentence is welcome, it is very disappointing that a retrial has not been granted," Ellman said after the verdict, as cited by the BBC.

"I will be talking to the family and to the lawyers. The campaign will continue."

Meanwhile a Liverpool Labour Euro MP said she has contacted the justice department of the European Commission to lodge a complaint about what she called Bulgaria's failure to give a British football fan a fair trial.

"Bulgaria is an EU accession country, which has failed to enable my constituent to have a fair trial," BBC cited Arlene McCarthy as saying, hours after the Supreme Court in Sofia sentenced Michael Shields to ten years in jail.

"I will continue to push for Michael's right to a fair trial under the European Convention on Human Rights and will be exploring all avenues that are now available to him."

"There were clear flaws in the investigation of this crime and the following trial. This must be acknowledged by the judiciary in Bulgaria."

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