Funeral of former gangster and author whose story was made into movie

Family and friends paid their respects at the funeral of former Glasgow gangster Paul Ferris.

The ex-crime 'enforcer' died earlier this month at the Queen Elizabeth University Hospital (QEUH) aged 62, following a short illness, it is understood.

Family and friends gathered for his funeral at Daldowie Crematorium on the outskirts of the city on Monday.

A piper led the cortege as the hearse drove up to the entrance with the coffin, which was decorated with floral arrangements spelling out the words "dad" and "legend".

Scottish actor Paul Brannigan and former boxing champion Alex Arthur were among those to attend.

Music played during the service included Wish You Were Here and Coming Back To Life by Pink Floyd, Brothers In Arms by Dire Straits, Your Song by Elton John, and I Won't Back Down by Tom Petty and the Heartbreakers.

Mr Ferris was said to have turned his back on a life of crime following a period serving time in prison after working as an associate of Arthur "The Godfather" Thompson Sr.

Ferris was cleared of the 1991 murder of his former boss' son, Arthur "Fat Boy" Thompson Jr.

In 1998, he was convicted of arms trafficking offences following a trial at the Old Bailey in London.

It was while serving his sentence that he co-authored his debut book, The Ferris Conspiracy, with Reg McKay, which was published in 2001.

The autobiography was the inspiration for the 2013 gangster film, The Wee Man, starring Martin Compston as Mr Ferris and John Hannah as Tam "The Licensee" McGraw.

After seeing the film, Mr Ferris said: "It was very humbling, I thought it was an emotional rollercoaster.

"The best way was to be up front and honest about it."

His family has invited mourners to make a donation to The Invisibles, an independent group helping homeless people in Glasgow, according to the Naked City Facebook page, where photographer Brian Anderson first shared the news of Mr Ferris' death.

A post on the page ahead of the service said: "As family and friends prepare to say their final goodbyes, they are asking those who wish to pay their respects to consider a gesture of kindness that could make a real difference to the lives of others.

"The family has chosen to encourage donations to The Invisibles, also known as See The Invisibles, an independent group whose volunteers work to support some of Glasgow's most vulnerable people."

It added: "By inviting donations in Paul's memory his family hopes to turn a time of sadness into an opportunity to help others."

(c) Sky News 2026: Funeral of former gangster and author whose story was made into movie