Criminals celebrate early release

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Up to 1,200 offenders - likely to include drug dealers, burglars and fraudsters - who have not completed their sentences, are expected to be freed across England and Wales.

Outside prison gates, family and friends waited to greet them.

The early release scheme is one of the first acts of the new Gordon Brown government, although the plans were set out two weeks ago.

Criminals are being let out up to 18 days early and the measures will apply to 25,500 prisoners over the course of a year.

Previous justice secretary Lord Falconer said the "temporary" move could apply to any offender sentenced to between four weeks and four years.

He insisted the new guidance for jail governors would only allow individuals to be let out on licence.

A Prison Service spokesman was unable to say exactly how many prisoners in total would be freed early today.

But a source at Strangeways Prison in Manchester said 35 would be released by 8pm. Walton Prison in Liverpool - criticised as severely overcrowded by the chief inspector of prisons last week - is letting out 70, the BBC reported.

Lord Falconer's successor Jack Straw defended the move in his first interview in his new job, saying criminals freed early would be "carefully selected" by prison governors.