Lucy Connolly has been released from prison after serving nine months in jail.
Mrs Connolly, 42, the wife of Conservative councillor Raymond Connolly, was driven from HMP Peterborough in a taxi on Thursday morning, according to a prison source.
Mrs Connolly was jailed for stirring up racial hatred against asylum seekers online on the day of the Southport murders.
**ARE YOU READING THIS ON OUR APP? DOWNLOAD NOW FOR THE BEST GB NEWS EXPERIENCE**
She was handed a 31-month sentence in October after sharing a post on X stating: "Mass deportation now, set fire to all the f****** hotels full of the b****** for all I care... if that makes me racist so be it."
Mrs Connolly deleted the posts three and a half hours later, after they were viewed over 310,000 times.
She pleaded guilty to inciting racial hatred by publishing and distributing "threatening or abusive" written material on X and was jailed at Birmingham Crown Court in October 2024.
The former childminder was ordered to serve 40 per cent of her sentence in prison before being released on licence.
LATEST DEVELOPMENTS:
- Keir Starmer embroiled in hypocrisy row after PM's own guidelines 'should have spared Lucy Connolly from jail'
- Free speech row: Teacher sacked after branding Lucy Connolly case 'two-tier justice'
- Lucy Connolly to be guest of honour in Parliament after early release from prison for Southport social media post
Lucy Connolly has been released from prison after serving nine months
| XA bid to challenge her sentence at the Court of Appeal was dismissed in May. Mr Connolly called the dismissal "shocking and unfair".
The Northampton town councillor, and former West Northamptonshire district councillor, said his wife had "paid a very high price for making a mistake".
Sir Keir Starmer previously defended the sentencing earlier this year, when questioned whether her imprisonment was an "efficient or fair use" of prison space.
The Prime Minister said: "Sentencing is a matter for our courts, and I celebrate the fact that we have independent courts in this country.
Taxi believed to be carrying Lucy Connolly leaves HMP Peterborough
"I am strongly in favour of free speech; we've had free speech in this country for a very long time, and we protect it fiercely.
"But I am equally against incitement to violence against other people. I will always support the action taken by our police and courts to keep our streets and people safe."
However, Sir Keir has since been embroiled in a hypocrisy row after the Prime Minister's own guidelines "should have spared Lucy Connolly from jail".
In subsequent interviews, the Prime Minister said spontaneous offensive remarks that are quickly removed "don't necessarily need to be prosecuted".
Lucy Connolly was jailed for 31 months for a tweet about last year's Southport attacks | PA Conservative leader Kemi Badenoch has said that the sentence handed to Mrs Connolly was "harsher than the sentences handed down for bricks thrown at police or actual rioting".
In a post on X, Mrs Badenoch said: "Juries are a cornerstone of justice, but we shouldn't have to rely on them to protect basic freedoms.
"Protecting people from words should not be given greater weight in law than public safety. If the law does this, then the law itself is broken - and it's time Parliament looked again at the Public Order Act."
Mrs Connolly will reunite with her husband, Ray, and their 12-year-old daughter at their home on the outskirts of Northampton.
Lucy Connolly's husband, Ray (centre), with supporters outside the Court of Appeal at the Royal Courts of Justice in London in May
|PA
Connolly's case became international news, with US officials saying earlier this year they are looking at how the case develops over their "concerns" about free speech.
A State Department spokesman said in May: "We can confirm that we are monitoring this matter.
"The United States supports freedom of expression at home and abroad, and remains concerned about infringements on freedom of expression."
Political commentator and Donald Trump ally Charlie Kirk told GB News that he was "going to try and get the US State Department involved" in the Connolly case.
Charlie Kirk speaking to Ben Leo on the Lucy Connolly case
Speaking to GB News' Ben Leo, Mr Kirk said: "I just find it so outrageous that she is now going to jail for two and a half years for a deleted social media post that she apologised for.
"As you guys (the UK) have birthed free speech to the world, you are now becoming a totalitarian country.
"I'm going to bring this up to Marco Rubio. I'm going to send him a text. This should be mentioned. It's not new."