This article is from the source 'bbc' and was first published or seen on . It will not be checked again for changes.

You can find the current article at its original source at http://news.bbc.co.uk/go/rss/-/1/hi/england/merseyside/6176610.stm

The article has changed 4 times. There is an RSS feed of changes available.

Version 2 Version 3
Jailed football fan on way to UK Jailed football fan returns to UK
(about 10 hours later)
Liverpool football fan Michael Shields, who was jailed in Bulgaria for the attempted murder of a barman, is returning to the UK. Liverpool football fan Michael Shields, jailed for 10 years in Bulgaria for the attempted murder of a barman, is back in the UK to complete his prison term.
Shields is due to fly in to Gatwick airport on Thursday evening to complete his sentence in a UK jail. Shields, 20, from Edge Hill, Liverpool, flew into Gatwick airport on Thursday.
Shields was given 10 years after a concrete block was dropped on the barman in 2005. He has always denied any involvement. He was sentenced in July 2005 for the attack two months earlier, although he has always denied any involvement.
Bulgarian officials allowed him to return after a £90,000 fine was paid. Officials allowed Shields, who had been in Bulgaria after watching his team win the Champions League in Turkey, to return after a £90,000 fine was paid.
Shields' solicitor told the BBC his client is flying back to the UK and would be taken to Wandsworth Prison. Shields' solicitor told the BBC his client would be taken to Wandsworth Prison in London.
Reacting to the news, his mother Maria Shields told BBC News: "It's a relief that we are getting him home to England, but our next step is to the Court of Human Rights to take his case there. Reacting to the news, his mother Maria, told BBC News: "It's a relief that we are getting him home to England, but our next step is to the Court of Human Rights to take his case there.
We must continue the campaign for justice and an appeal to the European Court of Human Rights is being filed Louise Ellman MP
"It is just so sad that he's being brought to a prison, he should be being brought to his home.""It is just so sad that he's being brought to a prison, he should be being brought to his home."
Mrs Shields thanked the people of Liverpool and around the world who had supported the campaign to get their son transferred. Mr and Mrs Shields say their campaign will continue
Mrs Shields thanked the people of Liverpool and those from further afield who had supported the campaign to get their son transferred.
"If it wasn't for the majority of people helping us we would never have been able to bring Michael home," she added."If it wasn't for the majority of people helping us we would never have been able to bring Michael home," she added.
His father, also called Michael, said he was relieved his son was finally returning home but saddened that he would be placed behind bars.His father, also called Michael, said he was relieved his son was finally returning home but saddened that he would be placed behind bars.
He said: "He has spent too much time behind bars already and the fight will not stop here, we will continue to campaign to get my son free."He said: "He has spent too much time behind bars already and the fight will not stop here, we will continue to campaign to get my son free."
Miss Ellman, the Shields' local MP, described his transfer as a "major step forward" and paid tribute to the co-operation between the Bulgarian and British authorities. Louise Ellman, the family's MP, described his transfer as a "major step forward" and paid tribute to the co-operation between the Bulgarian and British authorities.
"We must continue the campaign for justice and an appeal to the European Court of Human Rights is being filed," she said."We must continue the campaign for justice and an appeal to the European Court of Human Rights is being filed," she said.
Written confessionWritten confession
Miss Ellman said there remained huge question marks over the way the Shields case was handled by the courts in Bulgaria, but it could take up to two years for the case to be dealt with. Ms Ellman said there remained question marks over the way the Shields case had been handled by the courts in Bulgaria, but it could take up to two years for the case to be dealt with.
Shields, 20, from Edge Hill, was jailed for the attempted murder of barman Martin Georgiev, who had a paving slab dropped on his head in the Black Sea resort of Varna in May 2005. We must continue the campaign for justice and an appeal to the European Court of Human Rights is being filed Louise Ellman MP
Shields was jailed for the attempted murder of barman Martin Georgiev, who had a paving slab dropped on his head in the Black Sea resort of Varna in May 2005.
He been holidaying in Bulgaria after travelling from neighbouring Turkey, where he had watched on TV as his team beat AC Milan in the Champions League Final in Istanbul in May.
He has always protested his innocence and told the court he was asleep at the time of the incident.He has always protested his innocence and told the court he was asleep at the time of the incident.
Another Liverpool man, 20-year-old Graham Sankey, made a written confession to the attack, although his solicitor now insists his client was referring to a different brawl.Another Liverpool man, 20-year-old Graham Sankey, made a written confession to the attack, although his solicitor now insists his client was referring to a different brawl.
The £90,000 fine which Bulgarian authorities had requested in order to authorise his transfer to the UK was paid in October, after a high-profile fundraising campaign by Shields' family and supporters. The £90,000 fine which Bulgarian authorities had requested in order to authorise his transfer to the UK was paid in October, after a high-profile fundraising campaign by the family and supporters.