Michael Shields was today (26th July 2005) jailed for 15 years after a Bulgarian court found him guilty of a crime he did not commit.

The 18-year-old was convicted of a charge of attempted murder even though another man confessed to the crime.

The court in Varna refused to accept Graham Sankey's statement that he slammed a paving stone onto waiter Martin Georgiev's head at the resort of Golden Sands in May.

Michael was returning to Liverpool via Bulgaria after attending the European cup Final in Istanbul.

We would urge as many people as possible to sign the petition campaigning for his immediate release as it is clear a tragic miscarriage of justice has taken place. I direct this in particular at the British Government and urge them to continue to lobby their Bulgarian counterparts to secure Michaels' release.