Amir released from prison

LONDON: Convicted fast bowler Muhammad Amir has been released from the young offenders institute in Weymouth, two days before on completion of half of the jail term he was awarded by the Southwark Crown Court here.

Amir was serving a six-month sentence for spot-fixing after the 19-year-old.

Amir was found guilty in the scandal that shook the cricketing world in May 2010. Amir, Salman Butt and Muhammad Asif had taken bribes from bookie Mazhar Majeed.

Undercover reporter Mazhar Majeed from now defunct British publication News Of The World secretly videotaped Majeed during transaction that played a key role in securing the conviction. Amir was the first and the only of the three players who changed his defence to a guilty plea and was sentenced for only 6 months.

Amir’s legal team had initially confirmed that he will be released on February 9 and that he will complete part of his remaining sentence on licence at a London address.

The Ministry of Justice has confirmed that Muhammad Amir was released this morning. "Amir was released today in the morning," said a spokesperson speaking to The News, without giving any further details.

It is believed that Amir will stay in London for about 2-3 weeks and then he will leave for Pakistan. He has visa to stay in the UK till the end of March.

A source confirmed that a probation officer from the Prison Services accompanied Amir to the guarantee address where he will be staying to ensure that being a young offender he has all the requirements at the address.