John Henry Sayers has been freed from prison and is on his way home.
The notorious Newcastle hardman was jailed for three and a half years last September after a jury at London's Old Bailey found him guilty of perverting the course of justice in relation to the 2015 drive-by shooting outside Tup Tup Palace nightclub.
But the 55-year-old was cleared of masterminding the attack, which left doorman Matthew McCauley seriously injured .
The Chronicle revealed last year how dad Sayers spent much of his sentence as a Category A 'high risk' prisoner , at HMP Full Sutton, in Yorkshire.
And in November he was refused permission to attend his sister Joanne's funeral amid security fears.
In December Sayers' prisoner status was down-graded to category B.
HMP Full Sutton: Inside the high security prison where John Henry Sayers is held
And he has today been freed after serving his sentence, minus time spent on remand.
The Chronicle understands he has been released with an electronically monitored tag.
A spokesperson for the Sayers family has thanked friends for their support.
They said: "We can now confirm, John Henry will be home today. From John himself, his family and admin, we would like to thank you all for the support you have shared on a social media level this past 26 months.
"Thank you for the cards, letters, emails and messages you have all taken the time to send to John on a personal level, especially during the trial which I know truly did make a difference to him.
"His family and friends have waited for this day since February 8 2017 and once again believed that justice will prevail, it did, he’s coming home and now hopefully can get on with his life surrounded by his doting family."
Prosecutors claimed Sayers had sent Michael Dixon to shoot at the club as an act of revenge after his son, John Jnr, was thrown out and punched by door staff two weeks earlier.
But the jury found him not guilty of conspiracy to murder, and conspiracy to possess a firearm with intent to endanger life.
Dixon, 50, was cleared of conspiracy to murder but found guilty of conspiracy to possess a firearm with intent to endanger life.
Sayers was found guilty of perverting the course of justice, along with convicted murderer Michael McDougall.
Dixon has since applied to appeal against his conviction.
The Sayers have earned a reputation as one of the North East’s most notorious underworld families.
During the shooting trial the Old Bailey the prosecution claimed John Henry had acquired a reputation in the North East as a “gangster” and a “man to be feared'.
The jury was also told how his first conviction was in 1990, when he was sentenced to 15 years behind bars for masterminding a violent £350,000 wages robbery at Pritchard’s security firm in Gateshead .
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