Convicted murderer Satpal Ram was released on licence yesterday after serving 15 years of a prison sentence, following a ruling by the European Court of Human Rights.

He is the first prisoner to be freed after a decision by the court.

The review of his case came after a similar decision over the case of convicted murderer Dennis Stafford. The court ruled that then-home secretary Jack Straw breached Stafford's human rights by keeping him imprisoned for longer than the Parole Board recommended.