Straw refuses pardon for jailed football fan

By Jack Doyle , PA

Thursday 02 July 2009

Print
A A A
Latest in Crime
Man hurt as concrete block dropped on car
Drugs smuggler ordered to pay £2.6m
Man charged after painting 'St James' at Newcastle United's stadium
Widow of missing man found dead under flyover 'can rest easy'
Staff suspended in baby-restraint case
Divided they sat: Huhne and ex-wife reunited in court over speeding case
Hundreds attend vigil for murdered girl
Tributes paid to teenage stab victim
Man convicted of murdering elderly couple
No assurances offered over Abu Qatada trial
News in pictures
News in pictures
On Facebook
From the blogs

Why David Cameron owes unemployed single mothers an apology

How would you describe an unemployed single mother, with moderate depression, who can't afford new s...

Can we shop our way out of a recession?

The idea that a lot of shopping translates into a healthy economy is dubious. On the three prior oc...

How social networking made public vanity acceptable

When did it become acceptable to brag about oneself publicly?

‘French beer is unknown. We must change that’

Stereotypes die hard. ‘The Very Hungry Frenchman’, the BBC’s current television series following che...

Suggested Topics

Justice Secretary Jack Straw today refused an appeal for a pardon by jailed football fan Michael Shields.

Shields was jailed for 15 years in Bulgaria in 2005 for the attempted murder of a barman following Liverpool FC's European Cup victory in Turkey.



In a provisional decision, Mr Straw was unable to conclude the 22-year-old was "morally and technically innocent", a Ministry of Justice spokesman said.



Liverpool city councillor Joe Anderson, who has spearheaded the drive to free the Reds fan, said: "We have only just heard and I am on my way to see Michael's parents to discuss it.

"We're still taking in the news."













The Ministry of Justice said a High Court judgment in December last year set a "very high" bar for granting what is known as a free pardon.

A spokesman said: "Mr Straw has made his decision in accordance with the High Court judgment of 17 December 2008 which indicated that, in order to grant a free pardon, he would have to be satisfied that Mr Shields was morally and technically innocent.



"This is a very high test and the Justice Secretary has provisionally concluded that, on the evidence he currently has, that test is not met.



"The Justice Secretary recognises, of course, that many will be disappointed by his decision. But in exercising this quasi-judicial function he has adopted the approach that the Court expected him to adopt."



A Ministry of Justice spokesman said Mr Straw had made a "detailed and careful consideration of all the relevant evidence".



He said Mr Straw had written to Shields today to give him a "full explanation" of the reasons for his decision.



Shields can make further representations to the Justice Secretary, after which he will make a final decision.



Despite another man confessing to the attack, Shields was locked up for 10 years.



He was transferred to the UK to serve the remainder of his sentence, and is currently held at HMP Haverigg in Cumbria.



But he maintains his innocence and his supporters have continued their fight for his release.

Comments

SPONSORED FEATURES

Free trial of new Independent iPad app

Get your daily dose of the best of British journalism, sponsored by American Airlines

Posh Nosh Prizes & offers Business videos

Amazing restaurant offers

Three glasses of free champagne and a special menu at 46 top London restaurants.

iPad app Prizes & offers Business videos

Latest Independent competitions

Win anything from gadgets to five-star holidays on our competitions and offers page.

iPad app Posh Nosh Business videos

Commercial thought leaders

Watch the best in the business world give their insights into the world of business.

iPad app Posh Nosh Prizes & offers
Career Services

Day In a Page

Lost in the landscape: Wilderness and wildlife in Australia’s Top End

Wilderness and wildlife in Australia’s Top End

This sparsely populated region is home to creatures that are both fantastic and formidable
48 Hours: Marrakech

48 Hours: Marrakech

From the ancient medina to the Palmeraie, Morocco's Rose City offers a warm escape from the cold of winter.
Bear with Bern for Swiss skiing

Bear with Bern for Swiss skiing

Stephen Wood arrives at the gateway to the Bernese Oberland with plenty of respect for the slopes and the city's ursine inhabitants.
Dawn of the age of wireless medicine

Dawn of the age of wireless medicine

New technology means doctors will soon be able to regulate and monitor drug intake remotely – as long as patients remember to swallow their chips
Pete Doherty: I was a bit unhinged

Pete Doherty: I was a bit unhinged

Former Libertine talks frankly and exclusively about Kate Moss, Amy Winehouse, his baby daughter and why he paints with his own blood
Brown makes £1m since leaving No 10 (but Blair's still the leading earner)

Brown makes £1m since leaving No 10...

... but Blair's still the leading earner
The West Bank's Bobby Sands

The West Bank's Bobby Sands

Khader Adnan's two-month hunger strike has made him a hero among Palestinians outraged by Israel's policy of arbitrary detention
Hey, You've got to hide your drug away

Hey, You've got to hide your drug away

Paul McCartney has given up smoking dope. Simon Usborne charts a career of highs and lows
MI5 helped US in fruitless search for Charlie Chaplin's Communist past

Investigating Charlie Chaplin

MI5 helped US in fruitless search for star's Communist past
Eat, drink, man, woman: Is there such a thing as a gastronomic gender divide?

Is there such a thing as a gastronomic gender divide?

A dainty piece of sushi for the lady? And perhaps a rare steak for the gentleman?
A very good cuppa: Some of our best restaurants are embracing the afternoon tea tradition

A very good cuppa: Restaurants embrace afternoon tea tradition

You don’t have to visit a tourist trap, says Luke Blackall
The 10 Best Juicers

The 10 Best Juicers

From the Bistro drip-stop to Cook's Essentials' retro juicer...
How to make cheese in a matter of minutes

How to make cheese in a matter of minutes

You won't even need to go to the shops for supplies, as Will Dean discovers.
The day I danced for a place in Danny Boyle's Olympics spectacular

The day I danced for a place in Danny Boyle's Olympics spectacular

Tom Peck auditioned for the London 2012 opening ceremony. But was he asked back?
Is Wenger finished at Arsenal?

Is Wenger finished at Arsenal?

Milan debacle shows manager has let Gunners become an average team who are set to fall further