Men jailed for firebomb attacks during gangland feud

Three men have been jailed after a spate of firebomb attacks during a gangland feud.

Marshall O'Hara, 21, Fraser Stewart, 22, and Aiden McLaughlin, 21, targeted houses and a carpet firm linked to the Daniel crime family.

The trio were caught on CCTV and doorbell camera footage including one piece of footage that showed McLaughlin's trainers catching fire as he leapt from the roof of one of the blaze sites.

O'Hara and Stewart were jailed for seven-and-a-half years while McLaughlin was sentenced to three years imprisonment.

During sentencing at the High Court in Glasgow, Judge Lord Mulholland called the crimes "sheer naked gangsterism, pure and simple".

He said: "You could have quite easily been facing a murder charge if matters had taken a different course."

"You can see the danger of fires from recent events in Glasgow," he added, referring to the recent Union Street blaze.

"The public will not accept this gangsterism, neither will law enforcement or the courts."

Two of the trio smiled to others in the public benches as they were taken back to the cells.

They were arrested as part of Operation Portaledge - the police probe set up in response to the outbreak of gang violence across Scotland's central belt from Glasgow to Edinburgh.

The first attack took place in the early hours at a property in Glasgow's Milton area on 7 April last year.

The indictment said James Daniel, Margaret McIntyre and two others were inside at the time.

O'Hara and Stewart had earlier been captured on footage at the latter's home in Glasgow's Barlanark with a length of hosepipe, a black jerry can and a rucksack.

Prosecutor John Keenan KC said the occupants of the targeted house were awoken by a bang and glass smashing.

They escaped out a back door as the fire took hold. A bottle filled with petrol was discovered outside.

Keenan said: "The initial assessment was that material had been pushed through the letterbox and set alight.

"Petrol was detected on both the letterbox and burnt material."

It was then also found that a Molotov cocktail had been hurled through a window.

There was severe fire-damage to a bedroom and the front door.

Keenan said CCTV captured O'Hara and Stewart getting out a car and going to the house that night.

He added: "Doorbell footage showed O'Hara pour liquid on the door and he asked: 'Where is the light?'.

"Stewart then passed a lighter which is used to ignite the accelerant. The door is engulfed in flames."

O'Hara and Stewart then headed to Stepps in Lanarkshire, where a house was targeted as those inside slept.

Court papers said Robert Daniel and others were there at the time.

A blaze was started at the property and a £70,000 BMW X5 in the driveway was also torched.

It emerged O'Hara dropped a yellow lighter at the scene. He was also caught on camera getting out of a Volkswagen Golf and dousing the 4x4 in liquid before setting it alight.

Stewart joined him, splashing accelerant on the door and the driveway.

After being lit, Keenan said it resulted in an "explosion of flames".

Later that same night, all three were then involved in the firebombing of The Carpet Store Factory Outlet in Bishopbriggs, East Dunbartonshire.

Stewart was initially caught on camera earlier buying two green jerry cans at a garage.

These were then filled with petrol and McLaughlin, of Easterhouse in Glasgow, was filmed going in to pay for the fuel.

The carpet business was said to have been "extensively damaged" as a result of the blaze.

Footage captured O'Hara and Stewart emptying the cans as McLaughlin climbed onto the roof.

Mr Keenan: "McLaughlin then crouched down and set fire to the roof causing a large explosion.

"He was forced to jump as the flames take hold and his footwear catches fire."

O'Hara appeared to be filming the attack on his phone.

The fourth attack came a week later, on 14 April, at another property in Bishopbriggs.

Norman and Margaret Daniel were said to be there at the time.

They were awoken by seeing flames and immediately dialled 999. A fire extinguisher was used to douse the blaze.

Ring doorbell footage again caught O'Hara wearing the same jacket as in a previous incident.

He tipped accelerant onto the front door and the walls from a petrol can.

Keenan said: "He attempted to ignite it, but dropped the lighter. The footage cuts off just before the fire is started."

Stewart was also involved, and was said to be filming on his phone.

The men then escaped back to Stewart's home. They were seen carrying three jerry cans.

It is believed at least one of them was paid a relatively small sum of just £300 for getting involved. Lawyers for the trio said they did so mainly to repay drug debts.

O'Hara and Stewart pled guilty to four charges of wilful fire-raising.

They had also faced accusations of being involved in fire attacks at another house in Bishopbriggs - where Annette Daniel had been - as well as at a beauty salon in Bridgeton, Glasgow. Not guilty pleas were accepted.

McLaughlin admitted his part in the Carpet Store blaze.

His lawyer Paul Mullen told the court his client was genuinely remorseful and had told a social worker: "I regret every bit of this".

The judge also imposed non-harassment orders banning the men from approaching or contacting two of those targeted by the fire attacks.