The Daily Mail reports:

Boy George beamed with delight as he was released early from prison today. The Eighties pop star offered a Benny Hill-style salute as he left jail after serving only four months of his 15-month sentence for falsely imprisoning a rent boy.

Dressed in a black zip-up top, the bald singer smiled and saluted photographers as he experienced freedom for the first time in months. The 47-year-old was given permission for early release for good behaviour, but will wear an ankle monitoring tag and adhere to a curfew.

The Karma Chameleon singer was found guilty of thrashing Carlsen with a chain as he was shackled to a wall in the star's Shoreditch flat in April 2007. The judge accused O'Dowd of 'gratuitous violence' when he sentenced him in January.

The 29-year-old Norwegian managed to free himself and fled in his underpants into the street, screaming for help.

Last update: 05-11-2009 14:07