Albert Patterson (pictured) has walked free from prison having been jailed for keeping his Falklands gun as a souvenir

An SAS hero who was jailed for keeping his Falklands gun as a souvenir has walked free from prison after being released early.

Paratrooper Albert Patterson was sentenced to 15 months in April for possession of a 9mm pistol – a war trophy which was taken from an Argentine officer during the conflict.

But the decorated soldier, 65, has now left HMP Ranby in Nottinghamshire early after members of a parole board described him as an 'exemplary prisoner'.

According to The Sun, he was met outside the prison earlier this month by his daughter Cheri, 25.

She told the newspaper that it was 'amazing' to see her father our of prison. He will be on a 7am-7pm curfew and will have to wear a tag until November this year.

Patterson said he had kept the weapon to remind him of 22 friends who died in the war - and his jail sentence led to former military top brass and politicians calling for him to be freed immediately.

Politicians said after the sentencing that the war veteran had been treated like a 'common criminal' and called for him to be released.

Major General Julian Thompson, who commanded 3 Commando Brigade during the Falklands War, called the sentencing in April 'nuts'.

He said: 'If he was a gang member in London then bang him up, but he's not. He made a mistake and they should give him a suspended sentence, or even a fine.

In April Judge Christopher Plunkett said that he had been privileged to see Patterson's service record in the SAS - but said he had to jail him

'Prison, in my opinion, is out of proportion. He should be treated as someone who has been silly, not a criminal.'

Patterson served for 22 years in the military, first in the Parachute Regiment and then in the SAS.

Sentencing him to 15 months in prison for the possession of the war trophy, Judge Christopher Plunkett said earlier this year that he had been privileged to see Patterson's service record.

But he said parliamentary legislation left him with little choice over the sentence.

Patterson had admitted possessing a 9mm self-loading pistol, five rounds of expanding ammunition, 177 rounds of 9mm ammunition, four Enfield pistols and a self-loading rifle component.

Stephen Davies, prosecuting, said the hoard was found by police investigating a burglary following his divorce at his former home in Hereford. Patterson was arrested in November 2014.

He admitted possessing a 9mm self-loading pistol, five rounds of expanding ammunition, 177 rounds of 9mm ammunition, four Enfield pistols and a gas self-loading rifle component part.

Scott Coughtrie, defending, pointed out that Patterson had an illustrious career. He said: 'He spent a great deal of time abroad protecting our country and our way of life.

The former soldier had a 9mm self-loading pistol, five rounds of expanding ammunition, 177 rounds of 9mm ammunition, four Enfield pistols (file picture) and a self-loading rifle component

'In his history he has dealt with the most sensitive and dangerous operations this country has had to bear. These weapons were never loaded or used in the UK and had never been in the public domain.

'He said he received said pistol as a trophy of war from the Falklands and the ammunition during his military service.

'When asked why he didn't hand them in he said he worked abroad for 15 of the last 20 years and wasn't back when there was an amnesty. They weren't hanging on the wall but were hidden.'