REGINALD FOSTER, A REPORTER OF THE BRITISH "DAILY SKETCH", WAS RELEASED FROM PRISON TODAY (TUESDAY), AFTER SERVING TWO MONTHS OF A THREE-MONTH SENTENCE FOR REFUSING TO DISCLOSE HIS SOURCE OF INFORMATION TO A TRIBUNAL INVESTIGATING THE VASSALL ESPIONAGE CASE.

MR. FOSTER, 58 YEARS-OLD, WAS ONE OF TWO REPORTERS SENTENCED. THE OTHER, MR. MULHOLLAND, 29 YEARS-OLD, OF THE "DAILY MAIL", WAS SENTENCED TO SIX-MONTHS' IMPRISONMENT.

MR. FOSTER WAS MET AT THE PRISON GATES IN THE EARLY MORNING BY MR. TOM LUCY, ASSISTANT GENERAL-SECRETARY OF THE NATIONAL UNION OF JOURNALISTS, AND MANY FRIENDS AND REPORTERS. MR. FOSTER THEN WENT TO A HOTEL TO BE RE-UNITED WITH HIS WIFE AND HAVE AN EGG FOR BREAKFAST - HIS SECOND IN TWO MONTHS.

ONE OF HIS FIRST ACTIONS WAS TO SEND A TELEGRAM TO THE HOME SECRETARY ASKING FOR THE RELEASE OF HIS FELLOW REPORTER. "WE BOTH COMMITTED THE SAME OFFENCE IN THE EYES OF THE LAW," HE SAID. "N MY TELEGRAM TO THE HOME SECRETARY I AM POINTING THIS OUT. I AM HOPING HE WILL REMIT THE REST OF HIS SENTENCE."