walk free

walk free

1. To be released from custody without being charged or after having been acquitted of a crime. After one of the country's lengthiest and most contentious trials, the defendant will finally be walking free. The notorious gangster walked free yesterday after police confirmed they were unable to charge him with a crime due to lack of evidence.
2. To be released from prison after having served one's sentence. Many are outraged that the convicted killer will walk free after just two years in prison due to giving evidence against his fellow gang members.
See also: free, walk
Farlex Dictionary of Idioms.

walk free

be released from custody having been exonerated.
2005 The Register An Irish businessman walked free last week after a UK court found him not guilty of multi-million pound VAT offences.
See also: free, walk
Farlex Partner Idioms Dictionary

walk ˈfree

be allowed to leave a court of law, etc., without receiving any punishment: Family and friends of the victim were stunned as the man who they believed was guilty walked free.
See also: free, walk
Farlex Partner Idioms Dictionary
See also:
  • get off scot-free
  • get off/go scot-free
  • go scot-free
  • go scot-free, to
  • scot
  • Scott
  • walk away scot-free
  • get away scot-free
  • acquit (one) of (something)
  • acquit of
References in periodicals archive
The Mubarak-era strong man is to walk free and can leave the country.
One of three defendants in an unusual 'unlawful association' case involving a football tournament organised last year in honour of the Arakan Army was allowed to walk free on Wednesday.
No woman in London - where Worboys will soon walk free - can be reassured as one of the country's most prolific sex offenders takes his liberty.
But he couldn't provide medical evidence, with District Judge Kristina Harrison telling him: "That's not good enough." " She dropped the charges, allowing Las and Dowson to walk free. She said "Considerable money is spent listing these cases and I'm not prepared to adjourn it because people decide tolocation, were heard in court.
Watching your son's killers walk free In the bizarre reality of occupation, he is the one who must ask permission from the wardens while his son's killers walk free.
Those that have finally been "won" now find that insult is added to further injury, as criminals walk free and justice, is again, left by the roadside, like a carcass.
Once he knew he was soon going to walk free and then saw the protests on TV, his fears grew, said the source.
Gallon, of City Road, Newcastle, was jailed for three months but was allowed to walk free from the prison on Friday having served just 11 days of his 12-week term.
London, July 6 ( ANI ): Xolile Mngeni, who shot Anni Dewani in Cape Town, is now set to walk free after South African officials decided to release him on grounds of mercy.
Stevenage Magistrates' Court staff have confirmed that Mr Nicholson faced the charge on Monday, but it was not proven, allowing him to walk free.
If we don't get the best lawyers bringing cases then undoubtedly those guilty of heinous crimes will walk free."
The cons who walk free from jails on the tags are supposed to be confined to their homes for 12 hours a day.
Summary: A judge at the Old Bailey has shown mercy on the star of the original Yorkie chocolate bar adverts and let him walk free after he admitted to killing his terminally ill wife.
At Glasgow Sheriff Court, they admitted stealing pounds 318 worth of clothes from Glasgow stores as part of the deal that saw their "boss" walk free.
The judge, Mr Justice Silber, sentenced Cooper to a prison sentence of two years but because of the amount of time he had spent on remand he was able to walk free from court yesterday.