Dissident republican Brian Shivers, 46, has been convicted of the murder of two British soldiers during a Real IRA attack on the Massereene army base in the North three years ago.

On Thursday Shivers was declared guilty of the double murder of soldiers Patrick Azimkar and Mark Quinsey in March 2009, but his co-defendant Colin Duffy, 44, was found not guilty.

DNA evidence linked Shivers to the murders as his DNA was found on two matches in the back of a burnt-out getaway car.

Duffy however walked from Antrim crown court after the charges against him were dismissed.

Duffy's DNA matched that found on a latex glove discovered inside the burnt-out Vauxhall getaway car, but the judge ruled there was not enough evidence to link Duffy to the soldiers deaths.

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During the trial images of the soldiers' final moments captured on video were played to the court. Both soldiers were hit with nearly 60 bullets.

The trial also played a phone call made by one one of the two killers apparently boasting about the ambush. In a taped message the court heard a male voice say: 'There were a few dead all right.'

Judge Justice Anthony Hart told Antrim crown court that Duffy's DNA was found on a seatbelt of the car believed to have been used by the gunmen and on a latex glove tip, but in his opinion the prosecution had failed to link the defendant to the murder plot.

'I consider that there is insufficient evidence to satisfy me beyond reasonable doubt that, whatever Duffy may have done when he wore the latex glove or touched the seatbelt buckle, meant that he was preparing the car in some way for this murderous attack. And I therefore find him not guilty,' the judge reportedly said in an article in the Guardian.

Duffy will be released from custody from Maghaberry prison, where he has been on a no-wash protest against his continued incarceration.