After a staggering 25 years behind bars, Philip Pynn has stepped out of prison as a free man, following a time-served sentence for his involvement in drug smuggling at Her Majesty's Penitentiary.

Pynn is no stranger to controversy; his 2014 trial for manslaughter catapulted him into the spotlight as a notorious figure within the criminal underworld of St. John's. With a criminal history stretching back to 1999, he earned the infamous label of a 'career criminal'.

Recently, his longtime attorney, Mark Gruchy, expressed optimism, stating that Pynn is prepared to leave his dark past behind, now that he has received a sentence of time served with no conditions.

The 39-year-old's tumultuous journey didn’t come without peril. He faced nearly 4.5 years on charges that included breaches of probation, assault, and the smuggling of cocaine, fentanyl, and the potent animal tranquilizer Xylazine into the penitentiary. Astonishingly, he survived multiple near-death experiences as drugs, concealed in various dangerous places, infiltrated his system, resulting in life-threatening emergencies where medical staff saved him from flatlining.

Pynn's demise was narrowly avoided during a frantic attempt to hide the contraband when authorities arrived to arrest him for violating his curfew.

Judge Rolf Pritchard approved a joint recommendation from prosecutors and defense, granting a 53-month sentence reflecting the time Pynn had already spent in remand.

As for what’s next for the newly liberated man, court proceedings revealed that one of his first stops will be the John Howard Society, a support group aimed at helping him stay clean and on the straight and narrow.

Emotions ran high as Pynn reflected on his newfound freedom, stating, "It feels really good. Really, really good. First time since I’ve been 13 that I’ve been actually free.”

Despite the joy of his release, Gruchy remained cautiously optimistic about Pynn's future, saying with hope, "Hopefully, he'll stay that way."