Former Glasgow gangster Paul Ferris has announced plans for a third biographical film about his life, titled Going Straight, which he intends to use to settle a long-standing tax debt. The 62-year-old, once an enforcer for crime boss Arthur Thompson Snr, revealed the project in an exclusive interview with the Daily Record.
The upcoming film will cover Ferris's life from his release from prison to the present day, focusing on his efforts to go straight, become a legitimate businessman, and his battles with authorities to prove he has left his criminal past behind. Ferris said discussions with investors are already underway for Going Straight.
Sequel and Tax Debt
The third film follows the announcement of a sequel to the BAFTA-winning The Wee Man, titled Ferris, which is set to begin filming in August with a launch expected early next year. Ferris will cover the period from 1992 to 2002, when Ferris moved to London, was arrested on gun-running charges, and jailed at the Old Bailey.
Ferris admitted that profits from the films will go toward paying off a five-figure sum owed to HMRC. "The revenue that I am generating from the films will pay off HMRC commitments. I am late with payments. They are due a five figure sum and then that's me calling it a day with them," he said.
Rehabilitation and Business Struggles
Ferris described significant opposition from authorities after his release, including the closure of his RBS business account and refusals from Bank of Scotland, Clydesdale, and two other banks based on what he called 'spurious intelligence'. Between 2002 and 2015, he paid over £7 million in corporation taxes on his businesses, which included a security firm and a construction company. He has also published five books and is launching a podcast called The Here and Now.
Ferris said his decision to go straight came while in prison after learning that MI5 had conducted lengthy photographic surveillance on him. "You can't fight the government. It's impossible," he stated.
Casting and Neutrality in Gang Wars
In The Wee Man, Ferris was played by Line of Duty star Martin Compston. Paul Brannigan will portray the older Ferris in the sequel. Casting for Going Straight has not been confirmed. Ferris noted that he still encounters figures from his past who remain involved in crime but maintains neutrality regarding the ongoing feud between the Lyons and Daniel crime families in Scotland.
Ferris first gained public attention in 1992 when he was acquitted of murdering Arthur Thompson Jnr. In 1998, he was convicted at the Old Bailey of conspiracy to sell or transfer prohibited weapons and sentenced to 10 years, later reduced to seven. He has five children, none of whom are involved in crime.
