A WIRRAL lawyer who fought to secure Michael Shields’s release has been shortlisted for a national award for the second year on the run.

John Weate, a partner at Roberts Moore Nicholas Jones, was part of the defence team who campaigned to clear the engineering student’s name.

Now the Birkenhead solicitor is in the running to be named Criminal Legal Aid Lawyer of the Year, after being secretly nominated by his colleagues.

The bid was backed by Liverpool FC supporter Michael, who wrote a letter in support of his nomination. Michael’s parents also added their voices to the recommendation, as well as a string of other clients.

It was Mr Weate, 53, who in September handed Michael the much fought-for Royal Pardon that sealed his freedom on his 23rd birthday.

It was authorised by the Queen after Justice Secretary Jack Straw reviewed Michael’s conviction for the attempted murder of Bulgarian barman Martin Georgiev in 2005.

Mr Weate, who left school with the equivalent of just five GCSEs, said it was the fight to secure Michael’s freedom that had been his most challenging case.

He said: “Michael’s case is the most difficult one I have been involved in. In many ways, it was also the most important.

“We were always breaking new ground because we had to deal with foreign jurisdiction and also having to deal with obstacles of many types, including political obstacles that were put in our way.