Gangster who set fire to Edinburgh beauty salon amid gangland feud jailed

A ‘useful idiot’ who set fire to a beauty salon part-owned by the partner of a ‘prominent’ gangland figure has been jailed for seven years and four months.

Gangster Logan Carlin, 24, started a blaze at the Belle Cheveux beauty parlour in Albert Street, Edinburgh, on March 6, 2025.

The high court in the Scottish capital heard how witnesses heard male voices outside the shop shortly after 2am.

Prosecutor Leanne McQuillan told judge Lord Summers of what they saw as neighbours looked out their windows.

The court heard how the residents who lived above the salon would have been in “mortal danger” had the blaze taken hold.

She said: “One neighbour looked out her window and heard another bang and shattering glass.

“She could see one male in the street smashing the window, which took about five attempts.

“The male then picked up an item from the ground which she thought looked like a bottle with a tissue or towel within it, lit the tissue and threw it into the locus.

“She heard him shout ‘think you can f**k over my pals’.

“She called 999. She then heard the screech of either a car or a motorbike heading in the direction of Easter Road.

“She could identify the male as having a local Edinburgh accent, average build 20s to 30s and wearing a dark or navy hooded tracksuit.

“The police and fire service attended and residents were evacuated from the neighbouring properties.

“Three fire engines and nine fire officers were in attendance. The fire was extinguished within five minutes.”

The story emerged during a hearing last year in which Carlin, of Bruntsfield, Edinburgh, pleaded guilty to a charge of wilfully setting fire to Belle Cheveux.

He also admitted another charge of wilfully setting fire to DB Auto Services at 101A Milton Street, Edinburgh on March 16, 2025.

The offences were aggravated by links to serious and organised crime. Sentencing was deferred so Lord Summers could discover more about Carlin’s background.

On Monday, remand prisoner Carlin watched by video link as his lawyer Andrew Crosbie described him as a “useful idiot” who was acting on behalf of other more senior gangland figures.

Passing sentence, Lord Summers told him he needed to serve time in prison.

He added: “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 that rival group.

“Had that taken fire taken hold and the residents in the properties above would have been in mortal danger.

“Thankfully, the fire did not take hold and nobody was hurt.”

At the hearing last year, Ms McQuillan told Lord Summers of Carlin’s personal circumstances and his criminal conduct.

The accused was arrested as part of Police Scotland’s Operation Portaledge – an initiative set up to tackle violence which has erupted in recent months in Glasgow and Edinburgh involving the Daniel, Lyons and Richardson crime gangs.

On Tuesday, Carlin observed proceedings via video link from HMP Saughton in Edinburgh.

Ms McQuillan told Lord Summers that Carlin lived with his mum in Bruntsfield.

She added: “At that time, he had recently gained employment with a sales and marketing company based in Edinburgh.”

She told the court that Belle Cheveux was in Albert Street in the city’s Leith area. Ms McQuillan didn’t name the OCG group member in court – however, press reports have stated the premises is linked to Mark Richardson, a convicted drug dealer serving a ten year jail sentence.

She added: “This is a beauty salon part owned by the partner of a prominent member of an organised crime group.

“That individual is currently in custody serving a sentence.”

The court heard that police recovered DNA matching the accused from the windowsill of the salon.

He had previous convictions for road traffic offences and breaching bail.

Police also investigating the accused also found that his mobile phone on the night of the offence connected to masts in the area of the crime – this showed that he was in the area on the night in question.

The court then heard that on March 16, a Ford Eco Sport VRM which had been stolen in January 2025, drove towards DB Auto Services.

Ms McQuillan said that the business was owned by the father of the “owner of the beauty salon”.

Speaking about this offence, Ms McQuillan added: “Around 5.40am on March 16 2025, the tenant of the premises was at the locus in his car.

“He heard glass smash and saw a male throw a petrol bomb into the locus before speeding off in a white SUV vehicle.”

The fire service was called to the scene and the blaze was extinguished. Officers once again found Carlin’s DNA at the scene and the white Ford which was left abandoned with false registration plates in Edinburgh’s Whitson Way.

Ms McQuillan added: “DNA matching the accused was found on the steering wheel, gearstick, handbrake and interior door handle of the white Ford Eco Sport.

“The accused was arrested on April 7, 2025 following the discovery of the DNA. He was interviewed but made no reply.”

On Monday, Mr Crosbie told the court that his client had a “pro-social” background and his mum was supportive of him.

The defence counsel added that he was acting on the orders of more senior members of an organised crime group. Mr Crosbie said he was on the “fringes of the group” and that Carlin understood the consequences of his actions.

“It is apparent that he was seen as a useful idiot by those he was connected to in the group.

“He was regarded by those as being disposable.”

Lord Summers said the sentence took into account the fact that Carlin pleaded guilty at the earliest opportunity and that he was under 24 at the time of the offences. This meant he could apply the Young Persons sentencing guidelines.