THE sentence of Michael Shields to 15 years in prison for attempted murder handed down by the Varna Regional Court on July 26 sent shockwaves throughout the Liverpool community.
Whether Shields is guilty or not, we shall not discuss. That, for better or worse, has already been decided by the court.
The fact that there has been a speedy process is commendable. A speedy trial is not a luxury enjoyed by many awaiting trial in Bulgaria. We had a speedy trial, but not necessarily a just one.   
What is somewhat disturbing is the fact that the court's decision has been contested by many who claim that Shields is innocent, even more so after Graham Sankey came out and admitted to committing the crime of which his fellow Liverpool native has been found guilty.
What is even more disturbing is the fact that the court chose to ignore Sankey's confession and proceed with the trial.
This court's decision comes at a time when Bulgaria is being harshly criticised about its judiciary system and its inability or unwillingness to reform it.
Those criticisms come both from the EU and from within our own country. As has been pointed out more than once, many well-known members of organised crime syndicates walk the streets of the country as free men, in spite of having received several convictions. 
Such cases have brought considerable doubt for any court decision in this country and it is not surprising to hear the accusations of the Shields family, calling the trial a "circus" and a "miscarriage of justice".
In this case, as in many others, it is rather hard to respect a decision handed down by a judiciary system, which has long since