Rock star Pete Doherty walked free from prison today.

The singer, who has fought a long and public battle with drug addiction, served just 29 days of a 14-week sentence for breaching his probation.

He left Wormwood Scrubs Prison in West London at around 7.10am this morning.

Dressed in a suit and tie, he told the waiting media he was pleased to be out and was looking forward to having a rum and coke and spending some time with his pet cats.

He also showed the media a certificate confirming he had passed a drugs test while serving his sentence.

His release comes despite claims Doherty smoked heroin behind bars even though he was taking the heroin substitute methadone.

The Babyshambles singer was jailed last month by District Judge Davinder Lachhar at West London Magistrates' Court.

His supervision order required him to make regular visits to court for progress reports, as well as take part in a drug rehabilitation programme.

The judge said the singer was often late or missed probation appointments altogether and had used different drugs.

After he was jailed, Doherty was forced to postpone a concert at the Royal Albert Hall, which would have been his biggest solo show yet.

The show is due to be rescheduled and all tickets will be valid for the new date.

Doherty has been serving his sentence in segregation after claims that other prisoners plotted to attack him.

Mobile phone photographs of Doherty sitting in his cell and talking to other inmates on a landing were published in The Sun.

The newspaper claimed that despite being given the heroin substitute methadone, Doherty was also taking the real thing.

In September 2003, Doherty was given a six-month jail sentence after admitting burgling the home of his former Libertines bandmate Carl Barat.

His release means Doherty is free to play on the Park Stage at the Glastonbury Festival late next month. // China Daily