THE attempted murder conviction and subsequent imprisonment of 18-year-old Liverpool man Michael Shields is disturbing.

Shields was sentenced to 15 years in a tough Bulgarian jail after being convicted of slamming a piece of concrete onto the head of a waiter leaving the father-of-two brain damaged and with a hole in his skull.

Shields was in the Bulgarian town of Varna on a holiday which included a trip to the European Cup Final.

However, from the moment he was arrested he proclaimed his innocence and claimed he was asleep in his hotel room at the time of the attack.

But having being picked out by witnesses at an identity parade, he was convicted and the Bulgarian judge sentenced him to 15 years.

The disturbing thing is that a second Liverpool man, Graham Sankey, safely back in the UK, claims he is the guilty man and has now signed a confession which has been faxed to the Bulgarian authorities.

However, Sankey flatly refuses to return to Bulgaria to stand trial despite the fact Shields remains locked up for a crime he apparently didn't commit.

Sankey, who in his confession states he had consumed copious pints of lager and almost a full bottle of vodka, is now in hiding.

You can't blame the Bulgarians, who will no doubt point to the fact that every time a British lout is arrested overseas we cry foul and plead his or her innocence.

Now Sankey has admitted this awful crime, the Government should throw him on a plane and send him to his fate.

Anyone with any sort of conscience couldn't live in the knowledge that an innocent man has been jailed for a crime he didn't commit and they did.

The poor waiter deserves justice and we British would like to have our tarnished reputation repaired.