 Michael Shields said he was in bed when the attack happened |
The family of a teenager who was jailed for the attempted murder of a barman have appealed for two couples who may have seen the attack to come forward. Liverpool football fan Michael Shields, 18, of Wavertree, is in a Bulgarian jail after being convicted last month.
Graham Sankey, 20, has admitted the attack, but his signed confession was not accepted by the Bulgarian courts.
Shields' family said the evidence of two English couples who saw the incident in May may help free Michael.
He is accused of throwing a paving slab at barman Martin Georgiev in a fight in a bar.
 Mr Georgiev suffered head injuries |
Shields had travelled to the Black Sea resort of Varna after watching Liverpool win the European Champions League in Turkey. He maintains he was in bed when the paving slab was dropped on Mr Georgiev's head.
His uncle, Joey Graney, said: "We believe there were two couples in Big Bens when the fight kicked off.
"It looks like they may have had words with a group of Liverpool fans over something stupid, like whether they would pass them the salt and vinegar.
"Things were then said about the two women and it looks like a fight broke out between their boyfriends and the Liverpool lads.
"That was when the waiter, Martin Georgiev, got involved and was hit on the head by Graham Sankey.
"We don't know where the two couples came from, but we think they could be vital witnesses as to who threw the paving slab.
"If they know who they are, I would ask them to get in touch, because they could be the key to making sure an innocent lad doesn't spend the next 15 years of his life in jail."
One-Minute World News 
News services
E-mail this to a friend 
Printable version 
