THE Bishop of Liverpool spoke today of the “travesty of justice” suffered by a jailed football fan Michael Shields.

The Right Rev James Jones said the failure to deal justly with the 22-year-old LFC supporter's case was “nothing short of a scandal”.

The Bishop said: “I have read the transcript of the trial and I have studied the case and I have talked to and listened to Michael on a number of occasions and I too believe that he is innocent.

"I believe with my colleagues here that this is indeed a travesty of justice.

“The impotence of the system to deal justly with this case and to instigate a review is nothing short of a scandal.”

Bishop Jones was speaking at a news conference alongside Michael's mum and dad Maria and Michael Shields, Liverpool Riverside MP Louise Ellman, and Euro MP Arlene McCarthy.

The news conference took place ahead of a judicial review into the case next week.

Shields, an engineering student from Edge Hill, was jailed for 15 years in Bulgaria in 2005 after a barman was attacked following Liverpool FC’s European Cup Final victory in Istanbul.

Despite another man initially confessing to the attack Shields was locked up and his sentence reduced to 10 years on appeal.

He was transferred to the UK to serve the remainder of his sentence, but his supporters have never halted their campaign to prove his innocence.