Liverpool FC Forum

by **84-1106852058** » Tue Jun 21, 2005 7:29 pm

I apologise if this has already been posted,but Ihave searched and been unable to find any reference to it.

Eighteen year old Liverpool fan Michael Sheilds has been held in a Bulgarian gaol for 3 weeks without charge.
Michael was in Bulgaria,after attending the CL Final in Istanbul.
It was Michaels first trip abroad,without his parents.After enjoying seeing his team win and a good holiday,he was looking forward to returning home to his family,and reliving the final that his family had recorded for him.
On the last night of his holiday,Michael returned to his hotel shortly after midnight and went up to bed.Sometime during the night Bulgarian police entered his room and arrested him.He was sharing the room with two other lads who told police Michael had been there for hours.Michael had no idea why he was being arrested,and thought it was because he had used the phone in the room without paying.
The police informed him that a local man was in hospital with serious head injuries,and accused Michael of being his attacker
The assault had taken place about 3am 3 hours after Michael had returned to his hotel.
Michaels family are devastated,the foreign office have done absoloutly nothing to help this young lad.His father is out in Bulgaria but the news coming back is not very promising,he has only managed to see Michael a couple of times,and says he is bearing up.
Back in Liverpool his family have started a campaign to hi light Michaels plight.In the Wavertree area flags and banners have appeared on pubs and houses and posters are all over the city.
To me the lack of activity by the British government stinks,Michael is not only a football fan,he is a British citizen and is entitled to any help they can give him.Iam sure if it was Tony Blairs son in gaol without charge they would have moved heaven and earth.

Please post your support here and we can forward this to Michaels family.

God bless you lad,we are thinking of you.

by **Ciggy** » Tue Jun 21, 2005 8:29 pm

I know his mum, he lives facing my auntie on boundary street, Hope he gets home soon, they are having a charity event next week I think cause its expensive for soliciters and travel.
He is innocent believe me.

by **adamnbarrett** » Tue Jun 21, 2005 8:56 pm

Yeah I've seen all the banners and that on all the pubs etc. I don't think he as a liverpool fan is capable of such a thing. Plus there's no evidence that he did it. The lads innocent. But I hope the lad gets out soon.

YNWA

by **Garymac** » Tue Jun 21, 2005 11:10 pm

Hes a 100% innocent theres mates and family going over to get him back, hopefully he will back soon.......Its a fuc*in disgrace that this is gonna be the experiance he talks about most rather than what was supposed to be the best week of his life.

Michael Shields
YNWA

by **lakes10** » Wed Jun 22, 2005 12:08 am

the police said they had cctv of the attack but as of yet none of it has been seen. bbc five live have coverd the story...hope he gets home soon

by **red or dead** » Wed Jun 22, 2005 7:47 am

hopefully the truth will come out and this poor lad will be back home where he belongs with his family in liverpool thinking of him and his family good luck Y.N.W.A from sparky

by **Pablo_Escobar** » Wed Jun 22, 2005 8:01 am

I hope he'll get out as soon as possible. If the bulgarian prison (or jail) is comparable to Polish ones (and I think they can be even worse) then he should be pulled out of there ASAP - conditions and prisoners - it's got to be tough for him.
It's sad that innocent fan is being held up just by some acident and testimonies of one wittnes - it's sick.

YNWA

by **woof woof !** » Wed Jun 22, 2005 8:19 am

The Red Baron wrote:To me the lack of activity by the British government stinks

Par for the course I'm afraid. Don't anybody make the mistake of thinking that if you are arrested and imprisoned whilst awaiting trial that our so called government will come riding to your rescue.

A friend of mine was once stopped by tourist police who demanded money from him ,when he refused they arrested him and took him to the cop shop where one of them produced a small twist of marijuana claiming to the desk sergeant that it belonged to my mate . The British consul did bug'ger all and in fact seemed inclined to believe the cops story.
After six weeks in clink he got out on bail and although they had confiscated his passport he managed to skip the country.

Hope our fellow fan stuck in some bulgarian sh'it hole gets more assistance .

by **chunky runner** » Wed Jun 22, 2005 9:41 am

woof woof ! wrote:
The Red Baron wrote:To me the lack of activity by the British government stinks

Par for the course I'm afraid. Don't anybody make the mistake of thinking that if you are arrested and imprisoned whilst awaiting trial that our so called government will come riding to your rescue.

A friend of mine was once stopped by tourist police who demanded money from him ,when he refused they arrested him and took him to the cop shop where one of them produced a small twist of marijuana claiming to the desk sergeant that it belonged to my mate . The British consul did bug'ger all and in fact seemed inclined to believe the cops story.
After six weeks in clink he got out on bail and although they had confiscated his passport he managed to skip the country.

Hope our fellow fan stuck in some bulgarian sh'it hole gets more assistance .

It's terrible! I've experienced something similar to this story connected to football too, completely innocent with no evidence I had done it, but in this country not a foreign land. It must be hell in another country, not speaking thier language, treated like :censored:

and all this after such an amazing week! Wishs go out to him, as I'm sure he is 100% innocent.

Good luck to the people helping him

by **112-1077774096** » Wed Jun 22, 2005 9:46 am

i know a lot of people slag of the british police and legal system but believe me, its a million times better than the vast majority of systems in other countries.

in malaysia, one area recently offered to rewards policemen who refuse to take bribes. its so bad out here they have to do that. no taped interviews etc, total stitch ups.

good luck lad, im sure if people create enough of a stink you will soon be home

by **XSD** » Wed Jun 22, 2005 10:32 am

adamnbarrett wrote:I don't think any liverpool fan is capable of such a thing.

That's certainly not true.
However, there is clearly not much evidence, they haven't charged him, so they should be forced to let him go.

by **Ciggy** » Tue Jun 28, 2005 9:09 am

He's just been charged with attempted murder he's looking at 20 years if found guilty. And another lad is looking at a long sentance after being found in possession of drugs.

by **Garymac** » Tue Jun 28, 2005 10:43 am

cisses_gona_get_ya wrote: He's just been charged with attempted murder he's looking at 20 years if found guilty. And another lad is looking at a long sentance after being found in possession of drugs.

Thats a joke and a fu*king disgrace.

YNWA

by **AussieKopite** » Tue Jun 28, 2005 10:50 am

I haven't seen evidence from either side, but anyway. YNWA.

by **Kopboyau** » Tue Jun 28, 2005 11:00 am

What a disgrace. Whatever happened to innocent until proven guilty. I am in Australia and have been reading of this poor guy's plight. Hope he gets home soon.

And ....... YNWA

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