A trio of inmates from a north-east superjail were allowed to visit family and friends for Christmas as part of a rehabilitation programme.
All three of the HMP Grampian prisoners are understood to be nearing the end of their sentences and were released temporarily for four days over the festive period.
No inmates will be given leave over new year.
When it opened in March 2014, HMP Grampian became the UK’s first “community facing jail” – housing male, female and young offenders all on the same site.
It currently has 449 inmates spread across a complex overlooking the former HMP Peterhead and the town’s harbour.
Two integration units – one for men and another for women – are designed to help those nearing the end of their sentences get access to community services before their release.
The home leave programme is part of the broader rehabilitation focus of the prison.
The leave is conditional but inmates are not required to wear an electronic tag.
A Scottish Prison Service spokesman said: “They are released on licence conditions stating where they can and cannot go and what they can and cannot do.
“Home leave can be used to test people on how they cope with access to the community and helps form the eventual decision of the parole board. They most likely would stay at the family home.
“At Christmas time, it’s not uncommon for these people in these units to take home leave.”