Throughout the '50s and '60s, Arthur Thompson continued to be a feared underworld gangster throughout Britain, but especially in Glasgow. He was one of Glasgow's most notorious gangsters, said to have made a 30 million fortune from a life of crime. It's been claimed over the years that McGraw was responsible for ordering the hit on the Doyle flat. We use your sign-up to provide content in the ways you've consented to and improve our understanding of you. But if they become notorious it is then much easier for the police to identify and target them. The gangster died aged 55 in Glasgow Royal Infirmary in July 2007 after collapsing at his home in Mount Vernon, Glasgow from a heart attack. From teenage housebreakers and knife-wielding enforcers to skilled criminals jailed for forgery and safe-blowing in the early part of the 1900s, they are the first pictures of the criminals taken by police. Born in 1931 of respectable parents, young Arthur soon learned to earn respect from his peers by using his fists to get what he wanted, and by the age of 12 he had graduated to using open razors (nice child!). Finally, the crime clans face being dismantled by the police who find it simpler to work out what theyre doing precisely because of their high local profiles and close family connections. Faces of gangland britain - Gangland & Prison Related The 41-year-old fled to Jamaica just 48 hours after pulling the trigger in Glasgows Maryhill Road, below, with mob pals helping to keep him in the shadows. The A-Z of British gangs and gangsters - HistoryExtra Steven Lyons is believed to have forged links with the Kinahan crime family who are from Dublin and are considered one of Europes most powerful cartels. The gang were reputed to employ military precision in planning their raids, in the main evading capture. contact the editor here. THE feared family built a multi-million pound crime empire from the "jungle" in Glasgow's Possil. . The couple sold the land to a development company to make way for 22 homes. Yardies who peddle crack cocaine and prostitutes. And another son Our journalists strive for accuracy but on occasion we make mistakes. It is important that we continue to promote these adverts as our local businesses need as much support as possible during these challenging times. As always you can unsubscribe at any time. Paul Ferris stood trial alone for the killing of Arthur Thompson, and Arthur Thompson senior went to court to give evidence against him. The big guys, the gangsters who are now multi-millionaires are easy to spot. Evil faces of Glasgow's gangsters revealed. The death certificate showed he died from drug and alcohol intoxication. Welsh, who had a role in Trainspotting sequel T2, was a close associate of Richardson. He was a short, wide, flash individual who . The Glasgow taxi gangster wars started after some shrewd operators tried to muscle in on the lucrative taxi trade without having the necessary and expensive papers taxi drivers are required to produce . As always you can unsubscribe at any time. Veteran crime reporter Ron McKay looks at the life of one of Glasgow's most infamous gangland leaders. We're furious after school built ugly 4.2m fence to stop kids getting out - it's like a prison and has ruined our homes, alleged feud over money and claims Reilly had assaulted a pal and bedded a girl, fiend was part of the gang who chased Steven Bonzo Daniel, banged up in Kilmarnock where its claimed he runs the nick, Independent Press Standards Organisation (IPSO). when a gypsy traveller encounters an ex gangster from the streets, two worlds collide and let's just say it doesn't end well.see part 2 of this video here: h. The Met Office said next week will start with the coldest day of the year so far with temperatures dropping to near freezing in northern parts of the UK. List of British gangsters - Wikipedia You could say what goes around comes around. And he reckons bigger gangster networks have the edge because they give jobs based on ability, not bloodlines. We share live crime news and exclusive court stories as well as features and columns on historical cases, keeping our readers informed and updated across the country. After an especially horrific incident when Ferris has stabbed a car driver and his dog in front of witnesses, the Thompsons sent Ferris to the familys remote holiday home on a Scottish island until the furore died down. At the High Court in Glasgow later that year Thomas "TC" Campbell, 31, and Joe Steele, 22, were found guilty of killing the Doyles. He was also rumoured to have had a relationship with a young lap dancer who became pregnant and later had a daughter. A: Edinburgh gangland figure George Dode Baigrie, a former boxer, is an ally of the Lyons family. And some of the men were posed beside a mirror to capture their profiles and save expensive camera film. But Detective Chief Superintendent John Cuddihy, boss of Police Scotlands organised crime division, believes that small family gangs are vulnerable to major global organisations. Rumours has it that McGraw knew more about the killings than he was letting on and some blamed him for their deaths. . TOO BIG FOR SCOTLAND; The gangsters who made fortunes here before fleeing abroad to live in lap of luxury. The hidden unspoilt Scottish beach where a mermaid was seen according to legend. A Gannett Company. Gordon Ross, 37, a loyal pal was then fatally stabbed after being lured from a pub in Shettleston. 2023 The Arena Media Brands, LLC and respective content providers on this website. The Sun website is regulated by the Independent Press Standards Organisation (IPSO), Our journalists strive for accuracy but on occasion we make mistakes. Despite his fearsome reputation, McGraw was not regarded as a typical hardman. Another threat comes from foreign gangs embedded within the countrys melting pot of immigrant communities. Paul Ferris has since claimed in book releases that he was bullied as a child by the Welsh family. But McGraw appeared to be Teflon coated, nothing ever stuck. In his controversial memoir Spare, Harry admitted to regular drug-taking. Glasgow Gangsters - HubPages We told how Carroll - Sutherlands brother-in-law - was shot in the car park of Asda in the citys Robroyston in 2010. No doubt henchmen were involved in turning almost a whole generation of Glasgow youngsters into junkies, but the profits were huge and to a man like Arthur Thompson, what did he care? Glasgow Gangster Arthur Thompson: The Godfather - The CrimeWire - Soapboxie Robert McPhee was convicted of 14 charges, James McPhee of eight and John Miller was found guilty of two. A: The Lyons crime family is bossed by Steven Lyons, thought to be living in Dubai. In an interview in 2019, Joe Steele said: "I believe Tam McGraw was involved . His power lay in his ability to persuade other crooks with reputations for violence to back him up. Four years later it was revealed that Margaret had sold off the McGraw's taxi firm interests for 1.4million. Terms of use | How long have Keir Starmer and Sue Gray been secretly cooking up their plot? Ange Postecoglou lays down Celtic gauntlet to 7 fringe players as he reveals summer transfer talks have begun. Last year, drug dealer Peter Wingate, 44, was caught with heroin, cocaine and a home-made blade in his prison cell. SUTHERLAND the son of late Glasgow crime kingpin Jamie Daniel was caged in 2015 for dealing drugs between 2011 and 2015. Thanks. They honeymooned in the Caribbean but the marriage ended in 2012. Because of a shortage of late opening shops the vans could legitimately make 200 profit a week (700 now) selling food, soft drinks, sweets, and cigarettes on top of the traditional cones and wafers. The diminutive gangster is so paranoid about his height he wears stack heels. If you are dissatisfied with the response provided you can In our guide to organised crime in the 21st century Investigations Editor But the family still has its hand in drugs, metal theft, car crime, shoplifting and protection, as well as tobacco and booze smuggling. The nine men, who have been sentenced to a total of 87 years between them . Those ads you do see are predominantly from local businesses promoting local services. Unlike those who ordered the attacks Andrew and his family were known to be hard-working and law abiding. The outfit sided with gangland killer Robert Birdman OHara in a bid to tackle Stevenson. Enter centre left a young neighbour Paul Ferris, who acted as enforcer for the family. As a subscriber, you are shown 80% less display advertising when reading our articles. The transition from old to new was swift and brutal. Comments have been closed on this article. Antonio Colak set Rangers challenge as Beale wants 'best player' from Kilmarnock win to push Morelos all the way. READ MORE:Glasgow Crime Stories: The Hampden riot which saw 200 arrests. "Did he have a criminal past or was he a businessman who made some wise financial decisions?". Employee left baffled after boss was 'livid' he didn't give her his first class flight upgrade. Get the latest Scottish crime and courts news sent straight to your inbox with our daily Criminal Record newsletter. Saul Murray, 33, died during a robbery-gone-wrong after he met two women at his flat who gave him the sedative GHB after engaging in sexual activity with him. READ MORE:The Glasgow Crime Story of detective chief superintendent Tom Goodall. The 41-year-old victims friend James McGregor was also shot with a crossbow and This crushed Arthur Thompson and in 1993, just two years after the death of his son, he died of a heart attack at his home in Glasgows Blackhill district. The gangster leader who kept an iron grip on Glasgow's underworld Time was finally running out on McGraw and his position as Glasgow's Gangster Number One. He was 5ft 8.5in and had blue eyes and brown hair. The bank account - containing 621.02 - was held at his local branch of the Halifax in Baillieston Road. Sandwood Bay is known as one of the most beautiful and unspoilt beaches in the UK, yet because of its size and the fact it is rather difficult to get to, it is never too busy. Around this time McGraw and his wife split separated - said to be over his drinking. This set Paul Ferris against his former employer, and when Arthur Thompson Jr. was brutally shot dead outside his family home in 1991, Paul Ferris was an immediate suspect. We want to hear directly from the public on what the best chippies in Scotland are - and we need your help! He had one tattoo - clasped hands surrounded by the rising sun. A: The Daniels headed by Steven Bonzo Daniel have a long-term association to Edinburgh drug kingpin Mark Richardson. OHara was also nailed on drugs and gun charges. That same year she even had a book published about her life titled Gangster's Wife: An Empire Built On Cards - a reference to her love of Tarot card readings. He was last seen in public when he carried his fathers coffin while cuffed to G4S security guards in 2016 after Daniel Snrs death from cancer aged 58. COCAINE kingpin Richardson, 35, was jailed in 2019 for his part in an Edinburgh organised crime gang, said to be the most sophisticated encountered by Police Scotland. Readers comments: You are personally liable for the content of any comments you upload to this website, so please act responsibly. https://www.thefreelibrary.com/Scotland%27s+underworld+rich+list%3b+Brothers+are+beyond+catching+by+the-a096601794. Heroin is highly addictive and it is not difficult to get yourself a few customers simply by giving out a few free samplers. It was all part of their craving for recognition and status. A plea deal saw charges dropped against Pickett, one of six Lyons hoods jailed for a total of 104 years over a series of murder plots against Daniel members. GLASGOW'S most famous gangster is due for release from jail in Durham on January 21 . We do not pre-moderate or monitor readers comments appearing on our websites, but we do post-moderate in response to complaints we receive or otherwise when a potential problem comes to our attention. glasgow gangster families. Then another family of criminals tried to muscle in on his territories. Glasgow gangster families - Sfo.roma-aeterna.de Taken from the Criminal Photographs Register 1903-1914, the mugshots held at the Glasgow City Archives . CCTV captured the horrifying incident in full and graphic detail. It was in the 1980s that McGraw was said to have made his entry into the city's growing heroin trade, alongside other criminals such as Arthur Thompson Jnr - the son of crime godfather Arthur Thompson Snr. In August last year, Hardie was caught with illicit mobile phones in his cell at HMP Shotts in Lanarkshire, earning him a six-month sentence to run alongside his life stretch. He explained: Any view of these people as like something out of The Sopranoscan give a role model for young men to aspire to. Situated near Persley Bridge in the Granite City, the now abandoned site is near the centre of a busy commuter route in Europe's oil capital. The anonymous man was flying to a work conference with his boss with an airline he uses a lot and was offered a first class seat. They have in the main turned to legitimate cash businesses to launder their . For almost two decades James Whitey Bulger, described as a stone cold killer, reigned supreme in Bostons criminal world, a position he held thanks to his friends in the FBI. THEY started out as relatively unknown enforcers for the Daniels. Linked to: Colombian cartels and the Italian mafia. Leading criminologist Prof David Wilson, of Birmingham University, reckons these groups are more prominent in Scotland than the rest of the UK but must adapt or die. During a criminal career spanning more than 35 years, Tam McGraw was feared and hated in equal measures. Lanterns lit in memory of tragic Scots girl, 5, seen from plane by family flying home. When Kennedy was arrested, he owned a phone which contained Encrochat software - the secure, encrypted messaging app used by crime gangs to plan sinister plots. He was born Thomas McGrow in Lennoxtown, Stirlingshire, in 1952 before moving to live in Glasgow's east end where he changed his name to McGraw. He maintained an iron grip at the top of the city's underworld, while appearing immune from the law. Baigrie was jailed for 15 years in 2003 after attacking a man with a samurai sword. Read the extended Glasgow Crime Story or listen to our podcast on all popular streaming platforms. There was nothing else for them to do. David Wingate, 38 once cleared of murder was shot dead as he left a nightclub in the town in 1998. However, the money was unable to buy him security and peace of mind. This led to them hanging about on corners, getting drunk, stealing and resorting to violence. They may have their roots in the old clan system which evolved at first to provide protection and maximise profit. Paper Subscription to the Daily Record and Sunday Mail, Paper Subscription to the Paisley Daily Express, 2023 Scottish Daily Record and Sunday Mail Ltd, Woman's kind gesture to pay for skint mum's shopping turns sour, Emergency services rush to scene of 'ongoing incident' in Falkirk, Scots barmaid stashed more than 24k of drug dealer's cash in shoebox under bed, Scotland's most hunted prisoner placed in solitary as gang war rages behind bars, Haunting images show mysterious Scots caravan park abandoned by locals. Official documents lodged after McGraw's death detailed The Licensee had just 621 in his bank account when he died. VENGEFUL Eadie is serving at least 24 years for the part he played in one of Scotlands most notorious gangland hits of recent years. Fresh Glasgow gangland war erupts as 'lone wolf' launches gun & fire As well as murder, Hughes, from Glasgow, was convicted of importing drugs and possessing firearms, banned weapons and ammunition. IzzyM (author) from UK on April 03, 2011: Anastasia Kingsley from Croatia, Europe on April 03, 2011: Very interesting. Tony McGovern which remains unsolved. Taken from the Criminal Photographs Register 1903-1914, the mugshots held at the Glasgow City Archives in the Mitchell Library offer a glimpse into the citys dark underbelly at a pivotal time in history. Instead, Thompson calmly walked into the pub where they normally hung out, the Double R club, and after demanding to see them, produced a sawedoff shotgun and threatened to blow their brains out along with the immortal words, Im Arthur Thompson. She passed away at the relatively young age of 66 in 2018 from cancer, more than a decade after the sudden death of her gangland husband. HEROIN baron OHara was caged in 2005 for at least 20 years after ordering a hit on Paul McDowall, 25, who was stabbed to death in Possilpark, Glasgow. To see all content on The Sun, please use the Site Map. It was claimed that the demolition of the building was to hide any lingering forensic evidence of Bobby and Joe five years earlier. family tree of first king of bhutan; intramuscular hematoma causes. Tam McGraw was one of Glasgow's most notorious gangsters He crucified them by hammering nails through their hands pinning them to doors or floors. Tracey van Alphen-Read went from dancing at a music festival to being told she had a grade three tumour in her breast in a matter of weeks. Man lured to death by 'honeytrap' pair who robbed him of fake Rolex after Instagram plot. Police acting on a tip intercepted the Mercedes bus on a return and 220lbs of cannabis was found. Arthur Thompson's plush home in Blackhill, Glasgow. Not so long ago the former kids television presenter was forced to deny he was Banksy. Matthew Grady was jailed last week after pouring the contents of a kettle over John . That does not explain how he found it so easy to pull out knives and stab people who hadnt paid a drug debtpeople who were not members of the Welsh family. News Group Newspapers Limited in England No. The controversial Chirnsyde community centre was later closed and its former boss Eddie Snr and his clan were mostly driven out of Glasgow. Feedback | Mr Locke told the mourners he could not say whether McGraw was the gangster described in the media. He decided to take measures to improve his looks and had Botox sessions and his teeth fixed. Unlike gangster before and after him he managed to stay under the media radar for much of his life of crime. She left behind a multi-million-pound family fortune - and it remains a mystery to this day where it all ended up. In some cases they are competing against highly organised networks with international links who carry out smuggling and financial operations with As a crime clan war rages on behind bars, the Daily Record answers your biggest questions about the history of the key players. She also had a stint working for Scottish Opera and even met Queen Elizabeth II. Isabella Grace Docherty, known as Bella, tragically passed away on Tuesday, February 14, hours after she began complaining of feeling sick. These photographs reveal faces of Glasgow criminals in the early 1990s (Image: Daily Record). In cities like Birmingham, Manchester and Liverpool, they lived in Coronation Street-type terraces so, when they congregated at the end of the road, there wasnt that many of them. Paul Ferris, then 28, stood trial for young Arthur's murder but was found unanimously not guilty at the High Court in Glasgow in June, 1992. Conway through the heart at his home in November 2010. But it backfired when OHara and Iceman became pals. There are hundreds of Scottish clans that all have their own fascinating histories, and we have rounded up 12 of them to give you an insight into their origins. For other inquiries, Contact Us. Or was he a friendly family man who loved his family? The 11-minute exercise scientists say cuts cancer, stroke and heart disease risks. The marriage was predictably rocky, lurching from . Copyright 2003 Gale, Cengage Learning. Joking apart | The Scotsman They remain the country's most powerful mob, despite being weakened by a feud with the . Learn about his life and death. Over the years, he built a reputation as an untouchable crime lord right up to the time of his death. This article tells the story of Botak Chin, one of Malaysia's most notorious criminals, who conducted a series of robberies and shootouts during the late 1960s and early 1970s while pursued by the "Magnificent 12" police squad. Scots cop who snared World's End serial killer demands justice for other victims. THE family rose to prominence in the 1990s as the self-styled McGovernment. Brodie was a Glasgow beat cop in the 1930s fighting the razor gangs and the hard-men. We use your sign-up to provide content in the ways you've consented to and improve our understanding of you. By 1996 the Caravel had ceased trading and was bulldozed to the ground. I'll run gangsters out of the security business says tsar; Meacher backs Sunday Mail. Danny Johnston sadly passed away on February 17, just one month after he received the heartbreaking diagnosis. glasgow gangster families In places like Calton and Bridgeton, thousands of young men were left with no job, no money and lots of spare time. To some that was a reference to the Caravel Bar that he and his wife Margaret ran in Hallhill Road, Barlanark, for more than a decade. The hood went on the run before a supergrass gave cops vital information that helped catch him. Son William, 32, was locked up in 2007 for a machete attack. He was once an associate of Richardson before they fell out. In 2006 the hoods nephew Michael, 21, was shot dead at a garage owned by his brother David near his base in the citys Lambhill. Known as The Godfather, gangster Arthur Thompson ruled Glasgows underworld for many years, stretching right back to an early age. Scottish mobster involved in extortion, narcotics and drug trafficking in Glasgow from the 1970s until his death in 2007. Dad dies after 200 hours in A&E with 'ulcer' which turned out to be aggressive cancer. Family of Scot left disabled after breaking back in car crash raising funds for trial. An English Gangster and drug lord who has also held Irish nationality. Was a gangland figure .