Brown spends nine hours in jail for third DUI conviction

Bobby Brown has been released from prison after spending just nine hours behind bars.

The singer - the ex-husband of the late Whitney Houston - barely had time to settle into his cell following his incarceration yesterday morning for his third driving under the influence (DUI) conviction.

Bobby checked into L.A. County Jail at 9:58am yesterday , before being released at 6:58pm because the jail was "overcrowded", TMZ is reporting.

The star was sentenced to 55 days in prison last month after being arrested and charged for his third DUI in October. He was caught driving erratically around Los Angeles on a suspended license, and had been arrested seven months beforehand for a similar crime.

Bobby missed his original court date in February, and was ordered to attend three Alcoholics Anonymous (AA) meetings per week until his hearing yesterday.

The County Sheriff's spokesperson recently said he was likely to only serve nine days of his sentence - not nine hours.

Bobby - who has daughter Bobbi Kristina with late soul diva Whitney, and four children from other relationships - is currently on four years probation and has to attend 18 months of alcohol education classes.

He and Whitney divorced in 2007 after 15 years of "stormy" and drug-filled marriage.