A 24-YEAR-OLD woman released from prison after serving three years for killing her violent boyfriend says the overturn of the murder charge is a bitter-sweet victory.

Travel restrictions imposed by the courts mean Kirsty Scamp cannot return to her family home in Sittingbourne.

As a result, she said she feels "shipwrecked" on Sheppey, where she is being forced to live.

Kirsty's life sentence for killing violent boyfriend Jason Bull was reduced to six years for manslaughter at the Court of Appeal last week.

She was also told that terms of her licence mean she must remain in Sheerness for two years.

If she has to visit the mainland, she must use minor roads through Iwade and Bobbing so she does not enter Sittingbourne – the town she grew up in and where her family still live.

In an interview with the Gazette shortly after her release on Thursday, Kirsty said: "I'm shipwrecked – they're leaving me on this island.

"My conviction for murder has been dropped so they shouldn't be restricting my life and where I can go.

"I'd almost rather do two more years in prison – at least there are things to do in there."

Kirsty is not familiar with Sheerness and has no friends there, but a relative has let her stay with him.

Mum Patsy Barker, who drives from her Milton Regis home each day to see her daughter, said the family had not been able to celebrate Kirsty's release.

She said: "This is the last place we want to celebrate because this is where it happened. We've done things like shop and go to lunch, which is nice, but it would be nice to be able to get up in the morning and have a chat."

The two women meet members of the probation service daily and are determined to get the conditions of the licence changed.

Speaking about her original trial, Kirsty said: "I was not expecting murder. I recognised I'd be found guilty, but not of murder. Everyone in the court room was shocked.

"Nothing goes through your head, you're in such shock. You think about nothing except, 'I'm in prison for the rest of my life and I'm not going to see my family again'."

Rather than feel sorry for herself, the former Bobbing Primary and Westlands School pupil put her name down for several prison jobs and worked as a gardener, cleaner and support work, earning a small wage.

She said she got on with staff and most inmates at Holloway but avoided some of the more hardened criminals.

A friend Kirsty made on the inside told her about Justice for Women, the feminist action group. A representative visited her in prison and started building a case for appeal.

Kirsty continued: "A little part of me thought I had a hope, but a little part of me thought I didn't because of everything that happened at my trial.

"I didn't have faith in the legal system. On the day of the appeal, I felt worse than I did at my trial because I knew what to expect. But, at the same time, I didn't.

"As soon as they said what my new sentence was, I knew I was out then.

"I was ecstatic, it was the best day of my life. I felt more happy for my mum and my brothers.

"When I was released, I had bad nerves, I was so eager to get out. It was just lovely, I looked everywhere. I felt like a kid in a sweet shop."

Kirsty isn't sure whether she can return to her job as a carer now she has a criminal record, but is considering taking a course in carpentry or plumbing instead.

She added: "There are new phones, Facebook and iPods, they weren't around when I went in.

"I've got to catch up with fashion as well – my friend has been telling me about 'jeggings'."

Mrs Barker said: "The appeal hearing was really frightening.

"It was only when the judge started questioning the prosecution that I thought we had a chance.

"I couldn't believe it when she actually came out. It was like winning the lottery."

Mum and daughter thanked Justice for Women for its invaluable help.

Kirsty said: "When I talk to them, I just don't know what to say. I feel like they are part of our family. I am in contact with them all."

When asked how she felt about Mr Bull now, Kirsty's eyes filled with tears and she said: "It's difficult. I cared about him but because of the position he put me in, two people's lives have been ruined.

"I may be out of prison but this will affect me for the rest of my life. The memories will stay with me until the day I die."

Meanwhile, a spokesman for Justice for Women hailed the outcome of the appeal as "a fantastic victory".

She said: "She should never have been convicted in the first place. She has lost three-and-a-half years of her life, as well as being labelled a murderer when she was simply trying to defend herself."

Speaking about the licence condition, the spokesman continued: "It's a joke. It's absolutely ludicrous to suggest this young woman is a danger to the public and then to place her so close to the scene of the crime, rather than allow her to go home to her supportive family, is helping no one."