Jailed SAS legend reveals the last time he was behind bars he was freeing a hostage during a riot

JAILED SAS legend Albert “Pat” Patterson has revealed the last time he was in prison he freed a hostage during a riot.

Pat, 65 — serving a cruel 15-month stretch for keeping a war trophy pistol — was in the handpicked squad who broke into Peterhead Prison, Scotland, in 1987 to rescue 56-year-old warden Jackie Stuart.

More than 50 cons had taken control of the jail during a riot sparked by conditions and the distance families had to travel for visits.

The ringleaders seized Mr Stuart and paraded him in a noose on the rooftops in front of TV cameras.

Fearing the lifers would carry out threats to execute the grandad, Margaret Thatcher sent in the SAS.

At dawn, a 20-man team from Pat’s elite “Who Dares Wins” regiment swooped to end the six-day siege.

Hitting the prison from all sides simultaneously, the SAS blew their way into D-Wing with explosives.

Armed with pistols and batons, they hurled CS gas and stun grenades before rushing in to clear the cells.

As the SAS moved through the prison a four-man rescue team went in through the roof rafters and saved shaken Mr Stuart. Within 12 hours of Pat’s team going in, the siege was over.

Legendary battler Pat is now back in prison and told daughter Cherida, 25, about his role in the daring mission during her first emotional visit.

But he kept true to the honour code of the SAS, refusing to disclose details of the covert raid, merely revealing: “Last time I was in a prison it was under different circumstances.”

Brave Pat has conducted scores of secret missions abroad and should be enjoying retirement. Instead he whiles away hours in a tiny shared cell at HM Prison Ranby, Notts, going to IT lessons and hitting the gym.

Pat met Cherida and ex-wife Deborah, 55, for two hours on Friday.
Cherida said: “I couldn’t help running up to him and giving him a massive hug. He is ace, he is looking well and cracking jokes.

“He told me, ‘I may be 65 but I can look after myself’. Seeing him there was so odd — I know he does not deserve to be in prison.”

A new legal team assembled by The Sun and headed by the nation’s top firearms barrister Peter Glenser is waiting to hear when it can fight against Pat’s jailing in court.

It came after a Sun-backed petition demanding his sentence be suspended received more than 160,000 names and was handed to Downing Street.

Cherida said Pat is keen to see the appeal play out and was overwhelmed by the nation’s support.

He poured scorn on his imprisonment and said while working in Afghanistan helping aid workers ahead of his sentencing he was carrying a pistol, shotgun and AK-47 rifle.

Pat told her: “I’ve had hundreds of letters of support and goodwill from all over the country. One bloke even sent me a postal order for £100 with a note saying have a drink on me.

“I am appreciative of all the support from the public, those who signed the petition and everyone who sent me messages of goodwill or has written letters.

“It’s sobering to have such support.

“I’ve spent my life being the grey man — now everyone knows about me. But it is humbling, it really is, I’m so appreciative.”

Pat has made friends and occupies himself by spending time in the gym or playing cards and table tennis, but he admitted prison life is boring.

Yet he refuses to be angry. He told Cherida: “Maybe I think differently to other people. But being here doesn’t make me angry. Seeing lads coming back from Afghanistan and Iraq burnt, with a limb missing. That’s what makes me angry. Not this.

“This was never on my bucket list, but at least I can now tick it off.”

He insisted he is surviving by putting his trust in fate. He said: “I think I am in here for a reason.

And if I wasn’t here I’d be in Afghanistan, working with aid agencies, and who knows what could have happened then? So everything is for a reason.”

Ex-wife Deborah said: “Even though we have both moved on, I do not wish to see him in this position.”

Pat’s family today released a series of new pictures from his SAS missions.

They show him on operations handling fearsome wea-pons — but no one knows where.