PAUL Ferris was born in the Blackhill area of Glasgow in 1963 into a family steeped in violence.
As a child, Ferris was bullied for several years by members of a local criminal family, the Welshes, and his life of crime as a teenager began with a series of revenge knife attacks. After spending time in a Young Offenders Institution, Ferris became involved with Arthur Thompson's crime empire, aged 19, as an enforcer collecting debts.
Ferris spent 18 months in jail for possession of offensive weapons but in 1992, defended by Donald Findlay, QC, was acquitted of the murder of Arthur Thompson Jr. In 1995, Ferris appeared in a television interview with John McVicar, in which he said: "If anyone was born into crime, it was me. Crime is in my blood."
Ferris was arrested in London in 1997 following a two-year surveillance operation by MI5 and Special Branch and was sentenced to 10 years in jail for having illegal weapons.
While in prison, he co-wrote his biography The Ferris Conspiracy with Reg McKay and on release pledged to give up crime. He has written a series of books, appeared in TV documentaries and now works in the security business.
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