THE Bishop of Liverpool has called on the government to support the Michael Shields fight for justice.
In a speech to the House of Lords, Bishop James Jones said there were "genuine concerns" over the safety of the teenager's conviction for attempted murder in Bulgaria.
He said the flawed case against the student could affect Bulgaria's entry to the EU, deter tourism and hit trade and investment.
The plea came as the government also signalled the 19-year-old had a strong case for taking his treatment to Strasbourg - and the Foreign Office promised to support his bid to return to the UK to serve his sentence.
Bishop James, who was banned from visiting Michael in February, was backed by other peers, including former Liverpool MP Lord Alton, who labelled the actions of Bulgarian authorities as "disgraceful."
Announcing new plans to visit Michael in prison, the bishop said: "I believe the European court is the way forward.
" Michael ' s good character references were ignored. He had to take part in an identity parade with just three other people and there was absolutely no forensic evidence against him.
