British government pardons soccer fan convicted of attempted murder after man confesses

UK pardons soccer fan for attempted murder

LONDON — Britain’s government pardoned an English soccer fan convicted of attempted murder of a bartender in Bulgaria, saying another man confessed to the crime.

Michael Shields, 22, was “absolutely ecstatic and so are his family,” said lawyer John Wheate. Shields, who served part of a 10-year sentence, left prison on Wednesday.

Justice Secretary Jack Straw said he pardoned Shields after new evidence “profoundly changed the credibility of the various accounts of what actually happened in this case.”

Another man, whom he did not name, confessed to the attempted murder at the time Shields was on trial in Bulgaria in 2005, Straw said.

Shields and several fans were visiting Bulgaria after seeing Liverpool FC win the 2005 Champions League soccer final in neighboring Turkey. Bartender Martin Georgiev was attacked when he tried to break up a brawl between fans, suffering head injuries when struck with a pavement stone.

In July, Straw said he would not grant a pardon to Shields, but revised his decision following a meeting with Shields’ parents.

He said they disclosed details of a confession by a second man was not considered by the Bulgarian court. Straw confirmed that details of the evidence have been passed to authorities in Bulgaria.

Fair Trials International, which has provided legal advice in the case, said the unidentified man from Liverpool involved in the attack made a written confession in 2005 after he returned to Britain. It said the Bulgarian Appeal Court rejected attempts to use that evidence to win Shields’ release.

Associated Press Writer Rob Harris in London contributed to this report