Gizmondo man released from jail

Ah, the heady days of spring 2006. Every morning brought a fresh twist in the tale of Gizmondo, Stefan Eriksson and the million-dollar Ferrari he smashed all over a Californian highway.

Well, Stefan, or 'Fat Steffe' as he's apparently known in Sweden, was charged with embezzlement in November 2006. He pleaded no contest and got sent down for three years.

Now Eriksson has been released early, according to The Local - SWEDEN'S NEWS IN ENGLISH.

Eriksson, you may recall, was accused of taking part in a street race and driving at 120 miles per hour when the Ferrari crashed. Later, a gun magazine was found near the wreckage. But the mysterious Dietrich, who Eriksson claimed had been driving, wasn't. Oh, and the Ferrari had previously been reported stolen and was on the road illegally and the Royal Bank of Scotland were very keen to know the whereabouts of another Ferrari and a Merc and Eriksson allegedly had links with the Swedish mafia. Isn't that a pip!

Apparently Eriksson was transferred to a detention centre outside LA on 13th December last year. He's being kicked out of the US and all the way home to Europe. It's not clear whether he'll return to his native Sweden, head to Germany where his wife and daughter live or come down Brighton and kick our windows in.

"Everything was ready before Christmas. It took a while for the Swedish consulate to prepare a new passport. But he's expected to be on his way very soon," Mrs Eriksson told a Swedish newspaper.

The Local also reports that Eriksson is "known internationally as the 'Ferrari Swede'". What's your preferred nickname for him, readers?