 | 'There were shouts of "Lord Watson, are you the fire starter?" and protests from fellow released prisoners who even blocked the path of his getaway.' Deborah Anderson in the Evening Times, 23 rd May 2006 |  |
| 'There were shouts of "Lord Watson, are you the fire starter?" and protests from fellow released prisoners who even blocked the path of his getaway.' Deborah Anderson in the Evening Times, 23 rd May 2006 | |
SHAMED former Labour peer Mike Watson was freed from prison today after spending eight months behind bars.
Lord Watson, 57, was jailed in September for starting a fire at an upmarket Edinburgh hotel in 2004.
The former Scottish culture minister and MSP for Glasgow Cathcart refused to comment as he was released from the city's Saughton Prison shortly after 9.30am.
Four police officers stood by as it became clear he was about to make an appearance.
With every camera lens pointed and microphones poised, all eyes were glued to the security gates as he was released.
The disgraced peer, who served half his 16-month sentence, was released through the front gates of the jail to be confronted by a media scrum.
He was immediately bundled into a blue Toyota Corolla car.
Watson, who struggled to get into the car in the frenzy, refused to answer any of the questions fired at him by waiting reporters.
There were shouts of "Lord Watson, are you the fire starter?" and protests from fellow released prisoners who even blocked the path of his getaway.
There was no sign of his wife Claire as the car sped away.
It is understood that he kept a diary of his life behind bars and may intend to follow in the footsteps of Jeffrey Archer by publishing his prison memoirs.
It has also been suggested that he may choose to campaign for prison reforms. But a friend predicted yesterday that he would stay out of the limelight on his release.
He said: "I visited him a few weeks ago and I think he'll just want to lie low for a while. He will just want to spend time with his family and friends."
Watson started the blaze in the main reception of Edinburgh's Prestonfield House Hotel in the early hours of November 12, 2004, where he had been attending the Scottish Politician of the Year Awards.
He initially denied responsibility, but CCTV footage showed him crouching down at the base of a curtain just minutes before it was engulfed in flames.
On admitting the offence, he resigned from the Scottish Parliament and from his post as director of Dundee United Football Club. He was later expelled from the Labour Party, although it is not possible to resign from the House of Lords.
Watson's lawyer said he had experienced problems with alcohol and had been distressed over the loss of his unborn child following IVF treatment.
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