No ban for attack confession fan

Graham Sankey and two others are free to watch matches

A 20-year-old man who initially confessed to the attack for which Michael Shields was jailed in Bulgaria will not be banned from football.

Graham Sankey's written confession for Shields' trial was rejected by a court and his solicitor later said he was probably involved in a different fight.

Police applied for a banning order against Mr Sankey, from Liverpool, but this was rejected by a judge.

Shields, 19, was jailed for attempted murder in Varna last May.

Both Shields and Mr Sankey were holidaying in Bulgaria after watching Liverpool FC's Champions League victory, though they were not part of the same group.

I do not find, on the evidence before me, any link between that attack and football District Judge Miriam Shelvey

Mr Sankey said he threw a brick at a Bulgarian man during a fight in the Golden Sands resort, after Shields was charged with the attempted murder of a barman.

David Kirwan, Mr Sankey's solicitor, later said his client was probably involved in a different incident.

Merseyside Police applied for a football banning order on Mr Sankey which would have prevented him from attending matches, including England's World Cup fixtures in Germany.

District Judge Miriam Shelvey, sitting at Liverpool Magistrates, conceded that Mr Sankey had convictions for violent offences in the UK.

Orders refused

But she pointed out that the violence he admitted in Bulgaria took place five days after the final and not in Turkey, where the match was held.

Mrs Shelvey said: "I do not find, on the evidence before me, any link between that attack and football."

Mr Kirwan said the fact Mr Sankey had never been convicted of a football-related offence meant there was "no foundation" for the application.

The court also refused to issue bans against two other Liverpool fans - Bradley Thompson, 20, and 19-year-old Anthony Wilson.