Some of Kent’s inmates have been pictured leaving prison as part of a scheme to free up space.

A second wave of 1,100 people are due to be freed under the Government’s early release policy, with several from the Isle of Sheppey’s trio prisons being set free.

Daniel Dowling-Brooks was picked up by his friends, mother and sister in a Mercedes G-Wagon which pulled up outside HMP Swaleside earlier today.

The 29-year-old told reporters he was jailed for seven years for kidnap and grievous bodily harm of someone who owed a friend money.

He has now left prison seven weeks earlier than planned and said the first thing he would be doing is “going to McDonald’s” before heading to hostel and “following all the rules”.

Also at HMP Swaleside, an inmate was reunited with his children who ran and hugged him outside, while another prisoner was welcomed with an embrace as he was picked up in a black Rolls-Royce by a group of men in matching hoodies.

A number of men could be seen walking down the road with bin bags slung over their shoulders, one also shaking hands with a security guard, leaving the prison estates on the Isle of Sheppey, which is home to HMP Swaleside, HMP Standford Hill and HMP Elmley.

Sir Keir’s official spokesman said: “The Prime Minister shares the public’s anger at these scenes and thinks it is shocking that any government should ever inherit the crisis that this government has when it comes to our prisons.

“But just to be clear, there was no choice not to act. If we had not acted, we would have faced a complete paralysis of the system.”

He said this marks the “second and final” release of prisoners under the Government’s scheme.

Asked if there could be another scheme for future early releases, he said the focus would move to reforms to sentencing and building prisons to create more spaces.

Justice Secretary Shabana Mahmood has launched a review into sentencing that will look at handing out more punishments to offenders outside prison.

The review aims to explore tougher punishments outside prison while making sure there is space to incarcerate the most dangerous offenders.

“We have to expand the use of punishment outside prison, and I’m very clear that that has to maintain the confidence of the public,” she said.

“People still have to know that you are being punished for breaking the laws of our land, even if you’re not serving time in custody.

“There are real consequences, that you really feel the loss of your liberty still.”

Tags are already being used to supervise and monitor offenders serving sentences outside prison but the review will consider bringing in emerging technologies used in other countries.

Asked if she was taking a new approach and wanted fewer people incarcerated in Britain, she said that the rate of increase is such that “nobody can keep up with demand”.

The prison population is increasing by 4,500 every year and the Government has committed to creating 14,000 additional prison spaces.

Prisons are expected to reach critical capacity again by July.

The number of prison spaces fluctuates but it is understood there are currently about 89,000 in total.

The findings of the sentencing review will be submitted by spring of next year. The results of the review are expected to take effect by March 2026 at the earliest.

The Prison Reform Trust said the average prison sentence for serious, indictable offences is now 62.4 months — almost two years longer than in 2010.

The cost of punishment outside prison is estimated at around £5,000 annually per person compared with more than £50,000 to imprison someone for a year.