FORMER world boxing champion "Prince" Naseem Hamed was being released early from jail today after serving just 16 weeks of a 15-month sentence for dangerous driving.
Hamed seriously injured a 38-year-old man in a high-speed head-on collision near a blind dip in the road in his é320,000 Mercedes McLaren in May last year.
Hamed, wearing a black leather jacket, was seen chatting and smiling with his brothers shortly before his release.
A silver Rolls-Royce and a stretch Range Rover with blacked-out windows, waited for the sportsman outside Moorland open prison in Doncaster, South Yorkshire.
'Shocked'
Last week Anthony Burgin, who suffered fractures to every major bone in his body in the crash, said he was very upset and shocked that Hamed was being released early.
Hamed will wear an electronic tag under the Home Office's Home Detention Curfew (HDC) scheme.
Sheffield Crown Court heard on May 12 that the former WBA world featherweight champion took a "stupid risk" while showing off his powerful sports car to a businessman and fellow motoring enthusiast.
Hamed, of Wyvern Gardens, Dore, Sheffield, was driving at a speed of at least 90mph on the wrong side of the carriageway as he approached the dip on Ringinglow Road, on the edge of the Peak District, in May last year.
Propelled
The carbon-fibre supercar, with the registration plate NAS 1, was in head-on collision with a Volkswagen Golf, driven by Mr Burgin, which was immediately stopped and propelled backwards by the impact.
Mr Burgin's wife Clare was also seriously hurt in the collision.
The court heard that Michael Wood, the driver of a Ford Mondeo Hamed had tried to overtake, described the boxer's manoeuvre as "suicide".
Hamed left the crash scene because other drivers were horrified by what they had witnessed and Hamed feared an "ugly incident" might develop if he remained there.
The court heard Hamed was previously banned from driving for three months in 1995 for speeding in excess of a 50mph limit.
He was also given three penalty points in 1998, six in 1999 and three more in 2004 for speeding in excess of 30mph, 40mph and 30mph limits respectively.
'At least no-one died'
A Prison Service spokeswoman said today: "We do not comment on individual prisoners."
The sportsman left the prison at 8.15am, carrying two bags, which were placed in the waiting Rolls-Royce.
He then jogged back up the drive before slowing to a walk and raising his hand to wave.
Hamed then left through the entrance of the jail and told reporters "at least no-one died".
He added he had missed the birth of his newborn baby.
"What can I say?" he said. "It's been hard."
Comments
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Why even bother next time. This is some sort of sick joke the government cant be bothered to build enough prisons as they are too busy spending cash on wars and MP's beanos. We shouldadopt the attitude of america he would of got 3 years and been made to do 3.
No wonder this country os getting worse what kind of a message does this give out
This country is just a joke. It's about time we got some common sense back into the legal system and deal with these criminals correctly. I thought that there were some old ships being used as prison ships? If there isn't there should be, they won't even be able to escape from that! 3 yrs for what he did wasn't long enough in the first place, he should have got life as this man will suffer all his life. Prince Naseem should have all his assets taken from him and they should be given to the family that he has devistated, and the public should refuse to follow/support him in the future.
What a smack in the face .To wake up with the headlines in todays newspapers showing the ""Great Naz"" being picked up by a rolls royce and a limo followed by other expensive cars ? I wonder how the people that Naz hurt feel. This so called ""Great Naz"" multi millionair ,punching the air like a victory had been won! This legal system in britain need sorting,and fast..This man has demolished two peoples lives forever they cannot turn the clocks back and smile as though nothing has happened..
This is a disgrace Hamed released , Then the arrogance to be picked up in a Rolls with entourage,about sums him up, this shows what a joke our Law has become,,