Michael Shields _320
Original story: 14:35
JAILED Liverpool FC fan Michael Shields has been officially denied a free pardon by the Ministry of Justice.
It is believed that the news was broken to 22 year-old Shields this afternoon at 2pm.
In a statement released this afternoon it was announced that:
“Following a detailed and careful consideration of all the relevant evidence the Justice Secretary , Jack Straw, has made a provisional decision that the application for a free pardon from Mr Michael Shields should be refused. The Ministry of Justice has written to Mr Shields today to convey this decision.
“ The letter to Mr Shields provides a full explanation of the reasons for the Justice Secretary’s provisional decision.
“ 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. The judgment stated:
“In principle… the grant of a free pardon would appear to require a conclusion that, taking the Bulgarian courts’ judgment for what it is and without calling in question its correctness on the material which those courts considered, fresh evidence which the Bulgarian courts did not consider, taken with the material which they did consider and their judgment upon it justifies a conclusion that Michael Shields is 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.
“Mr Shields can now submit any further representations he may want to make, after which the Justice Secretary will make a final decision on the evidence before him.”
Mark Davies
Special Adviser to Jack Straw MP
