Michael Shields can be pardoned by Jack Straw - 17th Dec 2008 11:02pm
MICHAEL Shields can be legally pardoned and freed by Jack Straw, the High Court ruled today.
The landmark decision was announced by London’s Royal Court of Justice this afternoon following a hearing on December 4.
It is understood that the Justice Secretary will not appeal the decision made by the court, and will now start the process for a review of the case.
It is an embarrassing twist for the justice secretary, who has repeatedly insisted he does not have the power pardon or free the Edge Hill engineering student.
Now campaigners will crank up the pressure on Mr Straw to release the Liverpool F.C. fan who is set to be moved to an open prison.
City Labour leader Joe Anderson and MP Louise Ellman were gathered with Michael’s parents Michael and Marie, and sisters Laura and Melissa, at the Shields family home in Towerlands St as the news emerged.
Previously, barristers representing Mr Straw had argued the government cannot give Michael a pardon without re-examining the judgements in a Bulgarian court.
And they insisted Mr Straw was forbidden from doing that under the terms of the international convention for prisoner transfer, used to return Shields to the UK.
It was also announced earlier this month that Michael will be transferred from Haverigg prison in Cumbria, where he is currently behind bars, to an open jail.
During the earlier court hearing more than 50 members of Michael’s family and friends, city Labour leader Joe Anderson and MP Louise Ellman, heard details of new evidence allegedly underlining Michael’s innocence.
His barrister Peter Weatherby listed evidence which previous appeal courts in Bulgaria were unable to hear.
Lord Justice May also suggested repatriated prisoners were “in a distinctly worse position” than those convicted in the UK, because Mr Straw’s legal team argued subsequent evidence proving their innocence cannot be considered.
The landmark decision was announced by London’s Royal Court of Justice this afternoon following a hearing on December 4.
It is understood that the Justice Secretary will not appeal the decision made by the court, and will now start the process for a review of the case.
It is an embarrassing twist for the justice secretary, who has repeatedly insisted he does not have the power pardon or free the Edge Hill engineering student.
Now campaigners will crank up the pressure on Mr Straw to release the Liverpool F.C. fan who is set to be moved to an open prison.
City Labour leader Joe Anderson and MP Louise Ellman were gathered with Michael’s parents Michael and Marie, and sisters Laura and Melissa, at the Shields family home in Towerlands St as the news emerged.
Previously, barristers representing Mr Straw had argued the government cannot give Michael a pardon without re-examining the judgements in a Bulgarian court.
And they insisted Mr Straw was forbidden from doing that under the terms of the international convention for prisoner transfer, used to return Shields to the UK.
It was also announced earlier this month that Michael will be transferred from Haverigg prison in Cumbria, where he is currently behind bars, to an open jail.
During the earlier court hearing more than 50 members of Michael’s family and friends, city Labour leader Joe Anderson and MP Louise Ellman, heard details of new evidence allegedly underlining Michael’s innocence.
His barrister Peter Weatherby listed evidence which previous appeal courts in Bulgaria were unable to hear.
Lord Justice May also suggested repatriated prisoners were “in a distinctly worse position” than those convicted in the UK, because Mr Straw’s legal team argued subsequent evidence proving their innocence cannot be considered.
I think it looks like a whole load of bandwagon jumping. A lot of noise, a load of people on TV saying he wouldnt do that sort of thing although I bet half of them have never met him, a witness coming forward that could not be prosecuted, LFC warming up in "free Shields now" tops (didnt Robbie Fowler get f#cked over for displaying a political message?