Coulson Faces Tagging After Early Jail Release

Former News Of The World editor Andy Coulson has been released from prison having served less than five months of an 18-month sentence for phone hacking.

David Cameron's ex-communications boss is expected to wear an electronic tag until he has completed half of his full term as a condition of his early release.

Coulson, who was released from Hollesley Bay open prison in Suffolk, was jailed in July.

The 46-year-old was found guilty of conspiring to intercept voicemails at the now-defunct Sunday tabloid following an eight-month trial at the Old Bailey.

He was previously held at HMP Belmarsh in southeast London, but it was reported in September that he was moved to Hollesley Bay to serve the rest of his term.

The Ministry of Justice declines to comment on individual prisoners.

But it said inmates can be released under home detention arrangements before they have served half of their term.

A spokesman said: "Public protection is our first priority. Only prisoners who pass a strict risk assessment can be released on home detention curfew (HDC).

"Offenders on HDC are subject to strict licence conditions and can be recalled to prison if they breach them."

Prisoners can be considered for HDC if they are serving a sentence of more than three months and less than four years and have served a quarter of their sentence