MPs told to consider Shields case

The 21-year-old was moved to an adult prison last month

The case of jailed Liverpool football fan Michael Shields has been raised in Parliament by a Merseyside MP.

Louise Ellman, MP for Liverpool Riverside, said the issue of a possible pardon for the 21-year-old must be discussed in the House of Commons.

Shields is in prison in the UK after being convicted in Bulgaria of attacking a barman who had a paving slab dropped on his head.

Despite having an appeal rejected, Ms Ellman said MPs should review the case.

Her comments came after Liverpool city councillor Joe Anderson received a letter written on behalf of the Bulgarian President Georgi Parvanov, saying the authorities there would not grant a pardon but the UK Government could do so.

Lie detector

Ms Ellman has arranged an adjournment debate in the House of Commons next week to highlight the case.

Ms Ellman raised the issue with MPs

Shields, from Edge Hill, was convicted of the attack in 2005 but has always maintained his innocence.

The incident followed Liverpool's Champions League final victory in May 2005.

Shields' sentence was reduced from 15 years to 10 years on appeal, and he was moved to the UK prison system in 2006.

He was transferred to HMP Hindley in Wigan in November last year.

He is now aiming to take a lie detector test in an effort to prove that he did not attack the man.

'Step further'

Ms Ellman said: "This is one step further in a continuing campaign for a retrial or a pardon in this country or Bulgaria, though there are complicated issues involved.

"Michael has always wanted this chance to show conclusively that he is innocent and the victim of a grave miscarriage of justice."

Last month Shields, of Edge Hill, Liverpool, and his family asked for a polygraph test.

Home Office officials informed Ms Ellman it could be arranged provided there were no security issues at Shields' Garth Prison, Leyland.

Prison governor Dave Savage gave his permission in a letter to the MP - now Shields needs to give his written consent which should be arranged over the next few days.

The letter to Ms Ellman said: "We would agree in principle to allowing Michael to undertake the polygraph test but only with his written consent."