 Leggat failed to return to Greenock prison |
A convicted killer, who once led a five-day jail riot which was crushed by the SAS, has gone on the run, prison chiefs have confirmed. Malcolm Leggat, 42, failed to return to HMP Greenock from a work placement on Monday, according to the Scottish Prison Service (SPS).
In 1987, he took a prison guard hostage during a rampage at Peterhead prison which saw special forces sent in.
Leggat had been jailed for life for murder in April 1986.
He was the last of the ringleaders to surrender in the siege at HMP Peterhead in the north east of Scotland.
Hostage Jackie Stuart was beaten, stripped, chained and led like a dog across the 90ft high rooftop of the jail's D block during the riot.
When negotiations broke down, the government's crisis management group, COBRA, headed by then Home Secretary Douglas Hurd, dispatched the SAS.
Police appeal
In a 10-minute operation, a team of six hooded SAS soldiers entered the jail through a skylight hurling "flash-bangs" and gas grenades, freeing Mr Stuart, and capturing Leggat, along with fellow hostage-takers John Devine and Sammy Ralston.
For his part in the siege, Leggat received an extra three years in February 1988 for malicious damage, assault to severe injury, breach of the peace, mobbing and rioting.
The SPS said it did not believe Leggat posed a specific threat but Strathclyde Police appealed for anyone who spots him to contact them immediately.
He is described as white, 5ft 7in, with short black hair and was last seen wearing a blue Nike jacket, blue jeans, blue Nike trainers and a blue/white t-shirt.
He has relatives in the South Lanarkshire area.
The convict, who was nearing the end of his life sentence, had been carrying out work to prepare for a move to an open prison.
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