Understand
Notorious Glasgow gangland enforcer Paul Ferris dies aged 62
Overview
Paul Ferris, a prominent figure in Glasgow's underworld who later became an author, has died at the age of 62 following a short illness at the Queen Elizabeth University Hospital. Ferris was famously cleared of the 1992 murder of Arthur Thompson Jnr in what was then Scotland's longest and most expensive criminal trial, though he was later jailed for gun-running in 1998. Following his criminal career, he co-authored several books about his life, including The Ferris Conspiracy, which was adapted into the 2013 film The Wee Man.
Key points
- Paul Ferris died at the age of 62 following a short illness at Glasgow's Queen Elizabeth University Hospital.
- He was acquitted in 1992 of murdering Arthur Thompson Jnr in a 54-day trial that was Scotland's longest and most expensive criminal case at the time.
- He was sentenced to seven years in prison in 1998 for gun-running.
- His life and underworld experiences inspired books, including his 2001 memoir The Ferris Conspiracy, and the 2013 film The Wee Man.