PRISON bosses have revealed the number of inmates from Inverclyde who have been released early under Scottish Government plans to tackle overcrowding in the country's jails.

The Scottish Prison Service data reveals that 477 people across the country were released early in four tranches in June and July.

Of those, nine are normally resident in the Inverclyde area.

Only prisoners with 180 days or less to serve from a sentence of under years were considered for release from Scottish jails, including Greenock.

According to the national figures, a total of 52 proposed releases were vetoed by prison governors.

Some of the offenders released under the scheme included those who were serving time behind bars for crimes of dishonesty, non sexual violence and anti social offences.

The 'emergency early release' programme was approved by MSPs earlier this year.

It follows concerns about the rise in the prison population, putting pressure on the welfare of inmate and staff. 

No-one convicted of sexual or domestic abuse offences was released early under the programme.

The SPS data does not disclose how many prisoners were released early from HMP Greenock.

The local jail was condemned by Scotland's former chief inspector of prisons, Wendy Sinclair-Gieben, in a highly critical report last year.

Ms Sinclair-Gieben made 68 improvement recommendations for the prison in a report published in July 2023.

Her report praised the work of the prison's staff, but described working conditions in the 113-year-old prison as "almost impossible", and raised concern over poor accommodation and overcrowding.