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| Michaella McCollum: Drugs smuggler freed from Peru prison | Michaella McCollum: Drugs smuggler freed from Peru prison |
| (about 4 hours later) | |
| County Tyrone drugs smuggler Michaella McCollum has been released from prison in Peru. | County Tyrone drugs smuggler Michaella McCollum has been released from prison in Peru. |
| McCollum, from Dungannon, County Tyrone, and Scot Melissa Reid were caught with 11kg (24lb) of cocaine in August 2013. | |
| They were searched at Lima's international airport and cocaine was found hidden inside packages of food. | They were searched at Lima's international airport and cocaine was found hidden inside packages of food. |
| The women initially claimed they had been kidnapped and forced to carry drugs, but later admitted the charges. | The women initially claimed they had been kidnapped and forced to carry drugs, but later admitted the charges. |
| The pair admitted trying to smuggle cocaine worth £1.5m from Peru to Spain and were jailed for six years and eight months. | The pair admitted trying to smuggle cocaine worth £1.5m from Peru to Spain and were jailed for six years and eight months. |
| Kevin Winters, McCollum's solicitor, said she was released effectively on parole on Thursday night and he was waiting to hear the terms of her release. | Kevin Winters, McCollum's solicitor, said she was released effectively on parole on Thursday night and he was waiting to hear the terms of her release. |
| "I can confirm Michaella has been released from jail and I'm waiting to hear the outcome of the judicial process," he said. | "I can confirm Michaella has been released from jail and I'm waiting to hear the outcome of the judicial process," he said. |
| Melissa Reid from Lenzie, near Glasgow, who was also convicted for trying to smuggle cocaine, remains in prison in Peru. | Melissa Reid from Lenzie, near Glasgow, who was also convicted for trying to smuggle cocaine, remains in prison in Peru. |
| A transfer request for her was approved by the Scottish Prison Service in January 2015. | A transfer request for her was approved by the Scottish Prison Service in January 2015. |
| But it says any transfer would ultimately be for the Peruvian prison service to determine. | But it says any transfer would ultimately be for the Peruvian prison service to determine. |
| Irish-American Archbishop Sean Walsh, of the Eastern Catholic Church, visited McCollum in prison earlier this week and said he did not expect "parole to happen this early". | |
| "As it's at the discretion of the judges, it could have been delayed for some more years, but thank God, they are allowing her parole now. | |
| "One reason perhaps is, in addition to her seriousness, she's young." | |
| Fr Walsh said that during her parole, McCollum would be volunteering at the Eastern Catholic Church with Irish priest Fr Cathal Gallagher, who works with patients who have HIV. |