The short version
- Paul Ferris died at Queen Elizabeth University Hospital in Glasgow following a brief period of ill health.
- He was previously acquitted of the 1991 murder of Arthur Thompson Jr., a case that became Scotland's longest criminal trial at the time.
- Ferris later authored books about his life in the underworld, with his debut work adapted into the 2013 film The Wee Man.
Paul Ferris, a prominent figure in Glasgow’s organized crime history who later transitioned into writing and public speaking, has died at the age of 62. His passing was confirmed by photographer Brian Anderson, who had known Ferris for twenty-five years following an initial meeting in 2002. Anderson described the news as a shock to those familiar with the various phases of Ferris’s life, noting that he found the former criminal to be polite, funny, and kind during their long friendship.
Ferris is believed to have died on Tuesday night at Queen Elizabeth University Hospital after suffering from a short illness. His death marks the end of a life that spanned violent gangland activity, high-profile legal battles, and a successful career as an author. While his early years were defined by his role as an enforcer for one of Glasgow’s most notorious crime families, his later years saw him become a best-selling writer who documented his experiences in the city’s underworld.
The central event of Ferris’s public life was the 1991 shooting death of Arthur Thompson Jr., the son of crime boss Arthur Thompson Sr. Thompson Sr., known as The Godfather, had links to London’s Kray twins and built a criminal empire over three decades involving drug smuggling and murder. By the early 1980s, Ferris had risen within Thompson’s organization, gaining a fearsome reputation as an enforcer who used threats and violence to maintain order. The relationship between the two men took a dramatic turn when Thompson Jr. was shot outside his family home in Provanmill, a property nicknamed The Ponderosa after the television series Bonanza.
Ferris was arrested as the prime suspect in the killing, but the case became complicated by the deaths of two other suspects, Joe Hanlon and Bobby Glover. Both men were found shot dead in a car on the funeral cortege route for Thompson Jr., meaning they never stood trial. The subsequent prosecution of Ferris resulted in what was, at the time, the longest and most expensive criminal case in Scottish legal history. The trial lasted 54 days, involved more than 300 witnesses, and cost an estimated £4 million.
The prosecution’s case relied heavily on the testimony of Dennis Woodman, who claimed that Ferris had confessed to the murder while both men were held in Barlinnie Prison. Defense lawyers, led by Donald Findlay KC, challenged the credibility of this evidence, arguing that the case against Ferris was fundamentally flawed. After more than 24 hours of deliberation, the jury acquitted Ferris of murder and all other charges in 1992. To date, no one has been convicted for the killing of Arthur Thompson Jr.
Donald Findlay KC later described the trial as the most memorable case of his career, noting that it featured virtually all the major characters of Glasgow’s criminal underworld. He highlighted the complexity of the proceedings, which included supergrasses and intense scrutiny from law enforcement who viewed Ferris as the potential successor to Thompson Sr. Despite the severity of the charges and the high-profile nature of the victim, Ferris was cleared on every count.
Following his acquittal, Ferris faced further legal troubles. In 1998, he was jailed for seven years on gun-running charges. He was released in 2002 after completing his sentence. It was during this period that he began to reshape his public image through writing. His debut book, The Ferris Conspiracy, published in 2001, detailed his life in the criminal underworld and became a best-seller. He went on to publish two further books, Vendetta and Villains, in collaboration with crime writer Reg McKay, who died in 2012.
Ferris’s literary work gained wider cultural attention when The Ferris Conspiracy was adapted into the 2013 film The Wee Man. The movie starred Martin Compston, known for his role in Ken Loach’s Sweet Sixteen, as Ferris, with John Hannah playing his rival Tam McGraw. Filming took place in London rather than Glasgow due to difficulties securing permission from local authorities and police to shoot in the city where the events occurred. Arthur Thompson Sr., the central figure of Ferris’s early criminal career, died in 2007 at the age of 55.
The trajectory of Paul Ferris’s life offers a complex narrative of violence, legal drama, and redemption through storytelling. From his days as an enforcer for one of Scotland’s most powerful crime families to his status as an acquitted defendant and published author, Ferris remained a significant figure in Glasgow’s social history. His death closes a chapter on a life that was marked by both notoriety and a later attempt to document and explain the world he once inhabited.
Sources behind this briefing
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- BBC News↗Notorious gangland enforcer Paul Ferris dies aged 62
