Michael Shields has consistently protested his innocence

Shields, 19, of Wavertree, Liverpool, was jailed for 15 years in Bulgaria for the attempted murder of a barman.

The Supreme Court in Sofia adjourned the case on Tuesday. Shields' father said he was "hopeful" his son would get a retrial.

Another Liverpool man, Graham Sankey, confessed to the attack but the court did not accept his written statement.

His solicitor has since suggested it may have been a different fight in which his client took part.

All we can do is keep supporting him and hope the court makes the right decision Michael Shields snr

Earlier in November, Shields failed in an attempt to get his jail sentence reduced.

On Tuesday, Shields' father, also called Michael, attended court and said they hope judges will make a decision in the next three days.

He said: "Michael is pretty upset at the moment and obviously found the hearing very difficult.

"We are all very hopeful he will be given a re-trial but at the same time, Michael's obviously worried that things may not go his way.

Shields says he was in bed when barman Martin Georgiev was hit

"He's been in jail for 10 months now and it's hard for him.

"All we can do is keep on supporting him and hope the court makes the right decision."

Shields has consistently protested his innocence and maintains he was in bed when a paving slab was dropped on Martin Georgiev's head in the Black Sea resort of Varna last summer.

Shields was there after watching Liverpool FC's Champions League victory in Turkey.

The Bulgarian court has a maximum of 30 days in which to give a decision on a possible retrial.