Salman Butt released early from prison

Cricket

Salman Butt released early from prison

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Butt, 27, was banned by the ICC for 10 years for his part in the spot-fixing scam.

21 June,2012 03:05 pm

Former Pakistan cricket captain Salman Butt has been released from prison early, his lawyers confirmed today.Butt has been freed under the British government’s early prisoner release scheme which for foreign nationals usually involves them agreeing to be formally deported. If that is the case, Butt will not be able to return to that country for 10 years.The 27-year-old was at the centre of a plot to bowl deliberate no-balls in the Lords Test against England last summer.And Yasin Patel of the law firm said the cricketer will speak of his tribulations to the media after he has re-connected with his family back home.“Salman Butt has had to endure a great deal of suffering, strain, pressure and humiliation over many months both personally and on behalf of his family,” said Patel in a statement.“His return back home will allow Salman to spend time with his family and relatives. He will get to see and hold his son whom he has not seen since his birth in November last year.He can now return to his beloved homeland, start to rebuild his reputation and begin the long process in his efforts to return back to top-level cricket.He is tired and jaded. Once he has had a little rest, you can rest assured that Salman Butt will talk to the media when the time is right.”His team-mates Mohammad Asif and Mohammad Amir were also jailed for bowling the fraudulent no-balls, but have since been released.The players were jailed after being found guilty at Southwark Crown Court last November of corruption and accepting corrupt payments relating to the bowling of deliberate no-balls during a Test match against England at Lords in 2010.The trio has a right to appeal the ICC ban in the Court of Arbitration for Sports in Switzerland.Amir, who pleaded guilty during the trial, has decided not to appeal but Asif and Butt have hinted that they will challenge the punishment.