Around the end of June, Fred was released (5)
I believe the answer is:
freed
'released' is the definition.
('free' can be a synonym of 'release')
'around the end of june fred' is the wordplay.
'around' indicates putting letters inside.
'the end of' says to take the final letters.
The last letter of 'june' is 'e'.
'e' going inside 'fred' is 'FREED'.
'was' is the link.
(Other definitions for freed that I've seen before include "Untied" , "Defer being liberated" , "Emancipated, let loose" , "Released" .)