Road-rage killer Kenneth Noye has been released after nearly 20 years in prison.

Noye, 72, was sentenced to life imprisonment in 2000 after knifing 21-year-old Stephen Cameron to death on a motorway slip-road near Swanley four years earlier. He went on the run following the killing in 1996.

Last year the former gangster was moved to open prison HMP Standford Hill on the Isle of Sheppey, and was the subject of a parole review last month.

A spokesman for the Ministry of Justice said: “We understand this will be a distressing decision for the family of Stephen Cameron and our thoughts remain with them.

“Like all life sentence prisoners released by the independent parole board, Kenneth Noye will be on licence for the remainder of his life, subject to strict conditions and faces a return to prison should he fail to comply.”

Noye, who had stabbed an undercover policeman to death in the grounds of his mansion 11 years earlier, killed Mr Cameron following a trivial disagreement.

He cut in front of a van driven by Mr Cameron's fiancée and when the electrician shook his head, Noye stormed over and punched him before returning and stabbing him in the heart.

In 1985 he stabbed undercover officer John Fordham 10 times but was cleared by a jury on the grounds of self-defence.

A year later he got 14 years for handling some of the £26 million Brink’s-Mat robbery gold.

Following Mr Cameron's murder he fled to Spain, eventually being extradited in 1998.

Earlier this month the Kent detective that arrested him said Noye should remain behinds bars.

Now released, the 72-year-old he will be subject to all standard licence conditions, for example regular meeting with the supervising probation officer and restrictions on overseas travel and work.

He will also face additional licence conditions, which will be tailored to manage the risks he presents, for example exclusion zones and having to live in supervised accommodation.

If he fails to comply with his licence conditions and shows that his risk is increasing, he faces being recalled to prison.

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