Trio who firebombed houses and firm linked to Daniel family during gang war jailed

Three men have admitted their involvement in a series 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 mainly caught due to CCTV and doorbell camera footage.

This included capturing McLaughlin’s trainers catching fire as he leapt from the roof of one of the blaze sites.

The three were back in the dock at the High Court in Glasgow on Wednesday, having earlier admitted their involvement.

O’Hara and Stewart were both sentenced to seven and a half years, while McLaughlin was jailed for three years.

Lord Mulholland told the trio: “This case is another episode in an ongoing feud between rival organised crime groups.

“You were all acting under the direction of senior members of a crime group.

“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.

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

“It was sheer naked gangsterism – pure and simple.”

Operation Portaledge

The trio 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.

Describing the crimes before the court, prosecutor John Keenan KC said: “Between April 7 and 14, 2025, wilful fire-raisings occurred at three residential properties belonging to individuals linked to an organised crime group.

“A commercial property was also targeted.

“It is understood by the Crown that the three in the present case were acting under the direction of senior members of a crime group.”

The first attack took place in the early hours at a property in Ashgill Road in the city’s Milton.

The indictment states 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.

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

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

Mr Keenan added: “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 also found that a petrol bomb had been hurled through a window, which had been set alight.

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

Mr Keenan said a CCTV trawl captured O’Hara and Stewart getting out of 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.”

In the early hours of the same morning, a house in Meadow Court in Stepps, Lanarkshire, was then targeted as those inside slept.

Court papers state 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 damaged, having been set alight.

It emerged that O’Hara, of Glasgow, dropped a yellow lighter at the scene.

CCTV this time had captured O’Hara getting out a Volkswagen Golf, douse the 4×4 in liquid before setting it alight.

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

After being sparked, Mr Keenan said it resulted in an “explosion of flames”.

Both then fled back to Stewart’s home in the East End.

All three were then involved in the firebombing of The Carpet Store Factory Outlet in Bishopbriggs, East Dunbartonshire, late on April 7 into the early hours.

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

These were then filled with petrol and McLaughlin, of the city’s Easterhouse, went in to pay for the fuel.

The 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 said: “McLaughlin then crouched down and set fire to the roof, causing a large explosion.

“He was forced to jump as the flames took hold and his footwear caught fire.”

O’Hara – who had been wearing a designer jacket with “Moncler” emblazoned on the hood – appeared to be recording on his phone what they had done before all raced off in a car.

The final attack was on April 14 at a property in Colston Drive, also 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 quelled the blaze.

Ring doorbell footage again caught O’Hara wearing the same Moncler puffer jacket.

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

Mr 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 – he is the one this time filming on his phone.

They then escaped back to Stewart’s home. They were seen carrying three jerry cans.

The trio were arrested between April 23 and May 17 during the massive Portaledge probe.

It is believed that at least one of them was paid a relatively small sum of just £300 for getting involved.

O’Hara and Stewart pleaded guilty to four charges of wilful fire-raising.

McLaughlin admitted to the same crime for his part in the Carpet Store blaze.

Attempted murder allegations were deleted from each charge.

O’Hara and Stewart 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.

Lawyers for the trio said they had got involved effectively to repay drug debts.

McLaughlin’s solicitor advocate Paul Mullen stated: “He told the social worker that: ‘I regret every bit of this’. I submit his remorse is genuine.

“This has had a chastening effect on him.”

Lord Mulholland also imposed non-harassment orders banning the trio from approaching or contacting two of those hit by the fire attacks.