Derek McGraw Ferguson is wanted in connection with the execution of Thomas Cameron in 2007 with detectives believing he fled to Spain
Derek McGraw Ferguson is one of Scotland’s most wanted men
(Image: NCA/PA Wire)
Detectives have launched a fresh bid to snare a wanted Glasgow fugitive hiding out in Spain, 19 years after he is suspected of gunning down a man in a pub car park. Derek McGraw Ferguson is the main suspect in the execution of Thomas Cameron, 49, outside the Auchinairn Tavern, Bishopbriggs in June 2007.
He is one of 12 suspected criminals hiding out in Spain that have been included in a National Crime Agency (NCA) rogues gallery. Working alongside Spanish police and Crimestoppers, the Agency warned ex-pats and holidaymakers: “These are not the people you want in your neighbourhood.”
Ferguson, 62, has been on the run since the killing. Detectives believe he will no longer speak with a Scottish accent and will have changed his name.
Mr Cameron was working as a barman at the Auchinairn Tavern in East Dunbartonshire when he was gunned down. He left the pub to speak to two men in the car park opposite a row of shops at around 7pm but was shot a few minutes later. It happened just 18 months after his son, Ross Cameron, died at the age of 20 after an incident at a party.
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In 2022, police released E-FIT images of what they believe Ferguson will look like now. A reward of £10,000 is also in place for information that leads to his capture.
Detective Chief Superintendent Paul Livingstone said in 2022: “Our extensive enquiries have never ceased, which underlines our unwavering commitment to tracking down Derek Ferguson.” Glasgow-born Ferguson is described as white, 5ft 3ins, stocky and balding, although he may have changed his appearance.
Police released this E-FIT of McGraw in 2022(Image: Police Scotland)
The latest appeal is part of Operation Captura, which launched 20 years ago. Since then, there have been 11 public appeals naming the most wanted criminals thought to be in Spain and 98 of 111 offenders and suspects have been caught. NCA deputy director of international Rick Jones said Spain is an ideal base for fugitives as it allows them to integrate with English-speaking communities while being “outside the UK to avoid our attention”.
He said: “They will generally integrate themselves into these communities, which are populated by many, many thousands of British people who are perhaps enjoying their retirement or running businesses there. Criminals will do what they do here, which is integrate themselves and hide among society, and then abuse that trust of those communities and offend against them, or indeed these days it’s very easy to offend against victims or vulnerable people in other countries from anywhere in the world. That’s why we are so determined to leave no stone unturned and no safe place for them to do that and offend against the Spanish communities and our own back here.”
Fugitives often use fake passports in different names, and in extreme cases have surgery to alter their appearance to try to avoid detection during their new life in the sun. Mr Jones added: “These are serious criminals and there’s nothing glamorous for the victims who’ve been hurt by these individuals, whether that’s people who have unfortunately got themselves addicted to drugs and will be harmed in a great, great many ways by that, or people being subject to frauds and perhaps lost a huge amount of money, maybe their life savings, from some of the individuals here.
“They’ve chosen to operate outside the law and they’ve chosen to leave this country and abuse the hospitality of a close neighbour of ours. (Suspects) shouldn’t feel that they are safe there. But the reason some of them choose Spain is that there are these large communities there, English-speaking, and they feel that they can hide better amongst that fraternity.
“They need to be outside the UK to avoid our attention and they will look for places where they can integrate themselves, and a British expatriate community is ideal for that for them.” Other names being released include Alexsandr Vladimirovich Kuksov, also known as Alexander Kuksov, 23, last known to be living in Tenerife, who is accused of being part of a gang that laundered millions in UK drug dealers’ money by turning it into cryptocurrency, provided the same service in reverse for cyber criminals, and helped Russian oligarchs avoid sanctions by buying property in the UK.
Kevin Thomas Parle, 45, is wanted by Merseyside Police for two murders – those of Liam Kelly in Liverpool in 2004 and Lucy Hargreaves in Walton in 2005. He has links to Malaga and Costa Blanca. Anyone with information can call Crimestoppers anonymously in the UK on 0800 555 111, and in Spain 900 926 111, which will be answered by Crimestoppers in the UK using translation if required.
Alternatively, members of the public can fill out an anonymous online form at the UK charity’s website https://crimestoppers-uk.org/spain.