Bulgaria snub for bishop
Feb 27 2006
By Greg O'Keeffe, Liverpool Echo
THE BISHOP of Liverpool was today banned from visiting jailed teenager Michael Shields.
The Rt Rev James Jones planned to spend 30 minutes talking and praying with the 19-year-old in his Bulgarian prison cell.
The engineering student, jailed for an attack he insists he never committed last May, has his final make-or-break appeal next month.
Bishop Jones was making the morale-boosting trip with city Labour leader Joe Anderson, who is leading the campaign to free the Wavertree teenager.
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They were set to fly out today after receiving the go-ahead from the British foreign office but Sofia supreme court bosses have now objected.
Bishop Jones told the ECHO: "I find it hard to believe that the judge could deny Michael a pastoral visit requested by his family.
"This will add to the widespread concern in Liverpool and my hope was that my visit would have reassured Michael of our care for him.
"He and his family continue to be in our prayers."
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