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15 years in prison for innocent man
 

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Michael Shields in court in Bulgaria

Fellow Liverpool fan Anthony Wilson, 19, was convicted of possession of marijuana and hooliganism. He was given a two-year suspended sentence and will now be allowed to fly home.

The Foreign Office wants assurances that a confession by Anfield electrician Graham Sankey is taken into account and say the question of bail for Michael pending further inquiries must be "thoroughly investigated."

The ECHO understands that Mr Matev has already agreed to forward Sankey's crucial statement, provided it is signed and witnessed.

Sankey admitted that he, not Michael, was responsible for the attack, on their way home from Liverpool's Champions League victory in Istanbul, which led to the charge of attempted murder.

Fighting back tears, Michael's aunt, Lyne Graney, said: "It's an absolute disgrace. How on earth can they come to this verdict when they know full well that there is someone in Liverpool who has confessed to it? It makes no sense and we just feel like the whole concept of justice has been ignored.

"They have used an innocent boy as a scapegoat because they've arrested the wrong person for the crime in the first place.

"We had prepared ourselves for the worst because their justice system is a shambles but it's still so hard to take. Everyone at Michael's house today is devastated, we're all in pieces. This has destroyed us."

Stephen Jakobi, director of watchdog Fair Trials Abroad, said Sankey and his solicitor David Kirwan should shoulder the blame for the judge's decision to ignore the confession.

He said: "Surely Mr Kirwan should know, and maybe he does, that what he has done is just not good enough.

"Sankey has dropped someone else in the mire and is not willing to do enough to get him out of it because he is scared."

grego'keeffe@liverpoolecho.co.uk

Shields's defence team condemns 'rushed' trial >>>

 
 

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