WE can today reveal details of the Merseyside police inquiry which cast further doubt on Michael Shields’s conviction.

Detectives asked to look into the case by Jack Straw questioned the conviction three months ago while their investigation was underway.

In memos to the ministry of justice, released under the Freedom of Information Act, respected detective chief superintendent Brian McNeill:

INSISTS if the incident had taken place in the UK, the case would have been referred to the court of appeal.

ADVISES Michael would have been released on licence during any British appeal and the evidence of Witness A is crucial.

REVEALS Graham Sankey, Anthony Wilson and Bradley Thompson all refused to speak to Merseyside police during the inquiry.

CONFIRMS Bulgarian newspapers published photographs of Michael before he was identified by Bulgarian locals.

Earlier this week, Mr Straw refused to grant the Edge Hill student a pardon because he was unable to find him “morally and technically innocent”.

In the first memo, dated March 25 2008, Mr McNeill wrote: “If it is established the Bulgarian courts have never considered the evidence from [Witness A], I believe, if the Bulgarian legal process allows, it is necessary to refer this new evidence to them as the basis for the equivalent [in the UK] of an appeal or criminal case review.

“In accepting this will probably take a significant period of time, it may then be a consideration for the ministry and the prison service to consider the release of Shields on licence, pending the outcome of that process.

“Should the Bulgarian courts quash the conviction of Shields, it is at that stage there may well be a formal request for assistance in dealing with Sankey and it is on that basis I do not intend to approach him at this stage.

“Should it transpire the Bulgarian courts decide not to reconsider the case, or ultimately decide the conviction of Shields should stand, then it is at that stage the issue of a pardon will require further deliberation.”

But in a later memo sent to Tim Jewill, head of the criminal law team at the ministry of justice, following a conference with top government QC David Perry on May 1 this year, he accepted “the decision of the Bulgarian courts is to be treated as final and the legal process regarding any appeal by Shields in that country has been exhausted”.