Michael Shields _320
MICHAEL Shields’ fate was still in the balance today after the high court delayed a decision on whether Jack Straw can free him.
Judges sitting at London’s Royal Courts of Justice reserved their ruling until a later date, possibly within the next seven days, after a day of legal argument.
It means the 22 year-old, from Edge Hill, must wait for a verdict.
But he did receive some good news today when he was transferred to an open prison, believed to be in Warrington.
Barristers on behalf of Michael and Mr Straw spent five hours arguing whether the prisoner transfer treaty, which saw the engineering student return to a UK prison from Bulgaria, means he cannot be pardoned and freed early by the justice secretary.
Michael’s father, Michael senior, said: "It is going to be difficult waiting further for their decision, but we feel positive after hearing some of what the high court judges had to say.
"The sleepless nights will go on but we are cautiously optimistic."
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