Adobe StockA teenager caused £125,000 of damage to luxury apartments by setting its cinema room on fire with a bottle of Fairy Liquid.
Logan Morrison, 19, started the blaze at the Platform building in Glasgow’s Anderston Quay on January 29, 2025.
Morrison “bragged” after he squirted the contents of the bottle on a couch cushion and ignited it with a lighter.
Morrison pleaded guilty at Glasgow Sheriff Court to wilful fire raising.
He also admitted separate charges of possession of a knife and behaving in a threatening or abusive manner.
The court heard that Morrison gained access to the tower block – where residents pay £2,200 per month – around midnight.
He was seen to cover one of the CCTV cameras with a glove.
Morrison initially started a fire by putting items collected from the games and cinema rooms in a planter.
He then soaked the belongings with fluid from the Fairy Liquid bottle
Morrison then made efforts to extinguish the blaze, which caught the attention of witnesses.
He then grabbed a cushion and attempted to start another blaze on the roof terrace with it.
Morrison was challenged by a witness and he hurled abuse at them.
He was later held in the cinema room to “calm down” but a short time later burning could be smelled.
Morrison said: “I just started a fire.”
Witnesses saw smoke billowing out of the room as Morrison left, showing no remorse for his actions.
Prosecutor Caitlin McAllister said: “Witnesses saw that a cushion was set on fire and had been placed under the sofa.
“Attempts were made to extinguish it but this was unsuccessful and the fire got worse.”
The fire alarm then sounded and everyone left the building.
Morrison – who was seen with a lighter – attempted to start another blaze with papers.
Ms McAllister added: “Morrison was bragging that he used the Fairy Liquid bottle to start the fire.”
A 999 call was made and the fire brigade as well as the police attended.
Ms McAllister said: “The fire was deemed deliberate.
“The overhead sprinkler system caused extensive damage through the building.
“The cost of the damage was estimated to be between £75,000 to £125,000.”
The court also heard of earlier incidents which included Morrison sending two pictures of a machete on a social media group chat.
He also wrote an abusive message.
Morrison was also caught with a knife by police officers in the other incident.
It was revealed that he has been in custody since the end of January this year.
Sandy Currie, defending, told Thursday’s sentencing that his client has learning difficulties.
The lawyer said: “There are realistic alternatives to custody here.
“There is a path to dealing with him that I submit will not be achieved in Polmont young offenders institute.”
Sheriff Andrew McIntyre sentenced Morrison only on the group chat offence and deferred sentence further on the more serious matters.
Morrison was ordered to do 200 hours of unpaid work and was tagged for four months keeping him indoors between 9pm and 6am.
He was also put under supervision for three years.
The sheriff said: “I will give you the opportunity of a community-based sentence in order to monitor you. You need monitored for as long as possible.
“The fire raising can put you for years in prison – I need to make sure you are keeping out of trouble.
“If you do not comply, I will sentence you on the fire raising and this will lead up to a period of imprisonment.”
Follow STV News on WhatsApp
Scan the QR code on your mobile device for all the latest news from around the country
