Notorious Glasgow gangland enforcer Paul Ferris dies aged 62

In 2020 Donald Findlay KC – who defended Ferris in court – told Hey Legal, external that the case had been the most memorable of his career.

He said: “The trial of Paul Ferris for the murder of Arthur Thompson Jr had virtually all the great characters of Glasgow in that trial one way or another.

“Young Arthur was dead, his father was a witness, Ferris was regarded by the police as the heir apparent to Arthur Thompson Sr.

“We had supergrasses, it just had everything that was going for it.

“I forget how many charges that there were but of course Ferris walked on each and every one of them.”

After his release from prison in 2002 after being jailed on gun-running charges, Ferris turned to writing.

His debut book was made into a movie which starred Martin Compston – who had found fame as a teenager in Ken Loach’s Sweet Sixteen – as Ferris.

John Hannah played his arch rival, Tam “The Licensee” McGraw.

The crime boss, who died in 2007 aged 55, had been linked to crimes ranging from drug smuggling to murder for more than three decades.

The movie was shot in London due to problems securing permission from Glasgow City Council and the police to film in Ferris’s home city.

Ferris went on to publish two further books, Vendetta and Villains, with crime writer Reg McKay, who died in 2012.