Hughes at slap-up family party
Disgraced former Albion star Lee Hughes marked his first night of freedom from prison with a huge family gathering at his parents' humble Black Country semi.
Hours after he was smuggled out of Featherstone Prison, near Wolverhampton, in a prison van yesterday morning, Hughes rolled up at his parents' Smethwick home in a £30,000 Jeep Commander 4x4 with his family on board.
The 31-year-old, who served three years for killing a father-of-four in a crash, was not behind for his first visit home.
While one of his victims condemned Hughes's release, champagne, beer and nibbles was were laid on at the gathering, according to a family friend.
However, it emerged today Hughes will have to wait longer than expected to resume his professional career at Oldham Athletic.
A sending off during his last prison game means the striker will be hit with a one-week suspension before he has even kicked a ball for Oldham, club boss Barry Owen has revealed.
Mr Owen said: "I understand that he wasn't ordered off for violent conduct but for two technical offences."
The ban comes into force on September 3, and means that Hughes is unlikely to play a league game for his new club until mid-September at the earliest.
Hughes looked slim and fit but far from cheerful as he set foot in Smethwick for the first time since 2004. He refused to comment on his return to freedom.
West Brom terminated Hughes' contract on the day in August 2004 that he was jailed for causing the death of Douglas Graham in a crash near his Meriden, Coventry, home in 2003.
He fled the scene and went into hiding before handing himself into police more than a day afterwards.
Months after Hughes was found guilty, Mr Graham's wife Maureen died in her sleep, having apparently never recovered from the aftereffects of the crash and the loss of her husband.
Albert Frisby, now 62, who was driving the car that Hughes crashed his £100,000 Mercedes into, said yesterday that he was deeply upset that Hughes was set to resume his career.
