Jealous man in disguise torched Launceston’s Studio 152 erotic massage parlour

A jealous man who torched a Tasmanian erotic massage parlour, has been jailed for his crime. WHAT HAPPENED >>

A JEALOUS man has been jailed after he used a bottle of petrol to torch to erotic massage parlour “Studio 152” in Launceston’s CBD while in disguise, causing a $35,000 damage bill.

The arsonist, 31-year-old Liam James Dougherty, believed his ex-girlfriend was working at the venue, and was admonished in the Supreme Court of Tasmania for putting people’s lives and property at catastrophic risk.

On Friday, he was jailed for 18 months, with a non-parole period of one year, after pleading guilty to one count of arson dating back to November 15, 2020.

While sentencing, Justice Robert Pearce said about 1.40am on the morning in question, Dougherty walked to 152 Bathurst Street, Launceston, wearing a hooded top, a cap, sunglasses and a face covering.

He carried with him a fuel container of petrol and a hammer.

Studio 152, an erotic massage parlour in Launceston, was torched by Liam James Dougherty in November 2020. Picture: Google Maps

Arriving at the premises, a single-fronted conjoined house with a verandah, Dougherty used the hammer to prise open the shutters on the front window, smashed the window, an internal glazing panel and a sheet of plaster board, and poured the fuel inside, setting fire to it with a cloth he lit with a cigarette lighter.

“It immediately caused a fiercely burning fire which ignited the verandah, the awnings, the surrounds of the window and inside the premises,” Justice Pearce said in his published comments on passing sentence.

Police officers driving past spotted the fire and used an extinguisher to put out the outside section of the blaze before a fire brigade arrived.

“In this case the damage was considerable,” Justice Pearce said.

“It was extremely fortunate that the fire was noticed so quickly by the police who happened to be going past. Otherwise the damage to life and property could have been catastrophic.”

The judge said Dougherty was jealous of his partner’s activities, believing she worked at Studio 152.

“Presumably this was intended as a signal of some form of retribution or protest against her or those with whom she was associated,” Justice Pearce said.

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