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Andy Coulson will wear electronic tag for four months

Andy Coulson will have to wear an electronic tag until he has served half of his full sentence as a condition of his early release, it is understood.

The disgraced former Number 10 spin doctor has left Hollesley Bay open prison after 20 weeks of his 18-month sentence and will wear the tag for 130 days.

Former tabloid editor Andy Coulson was jailed in July after an eight-month trial at London's Old Bailey. Credit: Stefan Rousseau/PA Wire

The ex-News of the World editor was previously held at HMP Belmarsh in south east London before switching jails in September.

The Ministry of Justice declined to comment on Coulson's arrangement but said inmates can be released for home detention before they have served half of their term.

Public protection is our first priority. Only prisoners who pass a strict risk assessment can be released on home detention curfew (HDC).

Offenders on HDC are subject to strict licence conditions and can be recalled to prison if they breach them.

– Ministry of Justice spokesperson

Prisoners can be considered for HDC if they are serving a sentence of more than three months and less than four years and have served a quarter of their sentence.