Fist pumps and smirks: Hundreds of prisoners are released early as Scotland follows England with mass release of dangerous inmates in bid to tackle jail overcrowding

Prisoners offered fist pumps and smiles for the waiting TV cameras as they emerged from HMP Barlinnie in Glasgow after being freed under the Scottish government’s early release scheme.

The former inmates were among the first of up to 390 prisoners set to be let out in the coming weeks under legislation passed last November in an attempt to ease overcrowding in the country’s jails.