Shields moved to North West jail

Michael Shields is set to serve the rest of his sentence in the UK

A Liverpool football fan, transferred from Bulgaria to a jail in London, has been moved to prison nearer to his home in north-west England, his family say.

Michael Shields, 20, of Edge Hill, Liverpool, returned to the UK on Thursday and was put in HMP Wandsworth in London.

But his family say he has now been moved to HMP Hindley, near Wigan, Greater Manchester.

Shields was convicted of attempted murder in July 2005.

He was jailed for 10 years after barman Martin Georgiev had a paving slab dropped on his head in the Black Sea resort of Varna.

Shields had been holidaying in Bulgaria after travelling from neighbouring Turkey, where he had watched his team beat AC Milan in the Champions League Final in Istanbul.

It was initially thought that his return would mean a stay of about two months in Wandsworth.

His mother, Maria Shields, said: "Michael shouldn't be in jail at all because he is innocent, but it is better to be in jail in Wigan than in Bulgaria, or even down in London.

Appeal lodged

"I spoke to him this afternoon (Friday) and he was in good spirits.

"He told me he was fine, and he's looking forward to us visiting him tomorrow."

A Prison Service spokesman refused to comment on the transfer.

Shields denies any involvement in the attack and in an ongoing campaign to clear his name, his solicitor has now lodged the case with the European Court of Human Rights.