ScottishNews.com

Known by the nickname “The Wee Man”, Ferris became a prominent name in Scotland’s gangland history during the 1980s and 1990s.

He was closely associated with Glasgow crime boss Arthur Thompson and worked as an enforcer for his organisation before the relationship between the two men broke down.

Ferris attracted widespread public attention in 1992 when he stood trial at the High Court in Glasgow accused of murdering Thompson’s son, Arthur Thompson Jr.

He was acquitted of the murder following what was then one of the longest and most high-profile gangland trials in Scottish legal history.

Several years later, Ferris faced another major criminal prosecution at the Old Bailey in London.

In 1998 he was convicted of offences connected to the supply of firearms and explosives and was sentenced to 10 years in prison. His sentence was subsequently reduced and he was released in 2001.

Ferris later maintained that he had left his criminal life behind. He went on to become an author, writing extensively about his experiences in Glasgow’s underworld and publishing a series of books about organised crime.

A family friend told The Scottish Sun: “News of his death will come as a shock to many who knew him throughout the different chapters of his life.” 

His life also became the subject of the 2013 film The Wee Man, with Scottish actor Martin Compston playing Ferris.

The movie dramatised Ferris’s early life and his involvement with Glasgow gangland figures including Thompson.

In later years Ferris continued to speak publicly about his past, appearing in interviews, documentaries and podcasts discussing crime and the personalities who dominated Glasgow’s underworld during the late 20th century.

His death was reported on Wednesday morning. No detailed cause of death has yet been publicly confirmed beyond reports that he had been suffering from a short illness.