Billy Ferris, the older brother of notorious ex-gangster Paul Ferris, was one of Scotland's most notorious killers. He died in custody in September last year at the age of 75 while serving a life sentence at HMP Low Moss near Glasgow.
Brother's criminal path
Billy Ferris was sucked into a life of lawlessness through their father, who was an armed robber. In 1997, he was jailed for life at Northampton Crown Court after stabbing a man to death during a fight in a pub in Corby.
He later claimed that the brutal killing was carried out after he had discovered his wife was allegedly pregnant by another man. After his release, Billy went on to kill again.
Teen killed in his bed
After serving time and returning to Scotland, he and an accomplice, Lance McGuinness, stabbed 15-year-old Jason Hutchison to death while he slept at his home in Irvine, Ayrshire in 2002.
It later emerged Ferris carried out the brutal murder by mistake after thinking it was his 18-year-old brother David. The attack had been planned in revenge after Ferris blamed the older Hutchison brother for punching his wife Carol Anne in the face. The teen's body was set on fire.
Life sentence and prison threats
In 2003, Ferris, then 53, was jailed for life and ordered to spend a minimum of 22 years behind bars. In 2012, he threatened to murder a prison boss after failing a drug test.
Ferris is understood to have tested positive for cannabis at Shotts Prison. When officers at the Lanarkshire jail informed him he had tested positive, he hurled back abuse and told them he was going to slay the prison's governor. Worried wardens ordered all the inmates back to their cells in an emergency lockdown amid fears of a riot.
The incident led to Ferris being transferred to a segregation unit at Glasgow's Barlinnie Prison. He died in custody in September last year at the age of 75. He had been serving the term at HMP Low Moss near Glasgow.
Paul Ferris's death
Paul Ferris went on to carve out his own criminal career, becoming one of the most feared enforcers of crime lord Arthur Thompson, dubbed Glasgow's “Godfather”, who died in 1993. He contested Billy's innocence over the second killing.
The brothers were close as children despite their age gap, with Billy often taking care of Paul while their parents were busy. The siblings grew closer when Paul regularly visited Billy while he was serving his life sentence.
Paul's death, on Tuesday October 6, 2026, was announced by his family. Speaking of Paul's death, a family friend told the Record: "This has come as a great shock to everyone who knew Paul over the years. No one was aware that he was unwell. Our sincere condolences go to Paul’s family, friends and loved ones at this extremely difficult time."
