DISGRACED former Bury North MP David Chaytor — the first MP jailed over the Parliamentary expenses scandal — has been released from prison after serving just a quarter of his 18-month sentence.

Chaytor spent four-and-a-half months behind bars after admitting he falsely claimed more than £22,000 of taxpayers’ money.

It is understood that the ex-Labour MP for Bury North was freed from Spring Hill Prison, near Aylesbury, Buckinghamshire, under the home detention curfew scheme, which allows non-violent prisoners who pose a low risk to be tagged and released early.

Chaytor, aged 61, became the first former MP to be jailed since Tory peer Lord Archer when he was sentenced in January.

He forged tenancy documents and invoices to make fraudulent expenses claims for rent and IT work.

In March, the Court of Appeal rejected an attempt by the former lecturer to have his prison sentence reduced.

Chaytor, of Lumbutts, Todmorden, West Yorkshire, will be on the home detention curfew scheme for the next four-and-a-half months before spending the last nine months of his sentence on probation.

Campaigners criticised the decision to release the former MP early.

Emma Boon, from the TaxPayers’ Alliance, said: “He stole thousands of pounds from taxpayers and, in doing so, he seriously damaged public faith in the Parliamentary system. Taxpayers will be rightly angry he has served less than half his sentence.”