Firebombing Incident and Sentencing
A man involved in a gangland feud in central Scotland has been sentenced to seven years and four months in prison for setting fire to a beauty salon. Logan Carlin admitted to throwing a petrol bomb through the window of the Belle Cheveux salon located in Leith, Edinburgh, in March of the previous year.
The salon was part-owned by the partner of Mark Richardson, a convicted drug dealer based in Edinburgh. This attack was followed by another incident ten days later, when Carlin set fire to a garage in the city.
Carlin, aged 24 and from Bruntsfield, appeared at the High Court in Edinburgh via video link from HMP Saughton, where he pleaded guilty to the fire attack on the salon as well as to wilfully setting fire to DB Auto Services on Milton Street, Edinburgh, on 16 March, ten days after the initial attack.
Context of the Gangland Feud
Police believe the attack on the Belle Cheveux salon was the first building targeted in a dispute between criminal groups from the east and west of Scotland. The feud has involved a series of violent incidents including assaults, shootings, and firebombings across both regions.
Carlin's defence lawyer described him as being perceived as a "useful idiot" by others involved in organised crime.
Judicial Remarks
Judge Lord Summers highlighted the aggravating factors related to the offences, noting their connection to serious and organised crime. The judge stated:
"You were a member of a crime group. The partner of a person involved in another organised crime group was a part owner of the salon.
It is clear from the narrative the purpose of the attack was to retaliate against the actions of that rival group.
Had that fire taken hold, the residents in the properties above would have been in mortal danger.
Thankfully, the fire did not take hold and nobody was hurt."
Operation Portaledge and Wider Violence
As part of Operation Portaledge, the police investigation into the series of violent incidents, a total of 62 individuals have been arrested. The gangland feud has roots in longstanding rivalries, including those between the Daniel and Lyons families in the west of Scotland, which have persisted for over two decades.
The violence spread through Glasgow and Edinburgh during the first half of last year but appears to have diminished recently. Several individuals linked to the Daniel family were reportedly targeted during the wave of attacks.
Additional Developments
A Scottish man who was residing in Dubai at the time is alleged to have initiated the feud by targeting a crime group led by Mark Richardson. On 31 May 2025, two prominent members of the Lyons crime group, Eddie Lyons Jnr and Ross Monaghan, were shot dead at a bar in Spain. Police Scotland has stated it has no evidence connecting this double murder to the ongoing feud, despite conflicting statements from a senior Spanish police officer.
In September of the previous year, several high-profile gangland figures were arrested in Dubai but have since been released.
