Duffy not guilty of Massereene murders
Prominent republican Colin Duffy has been found not guilty of carrying out the murders of two soldiers at Massereene Army barracks in Antrim in March 2009.
Diplock judge Mr Justice Anthony Hart told the court he was satisfied that Duffy’s DNA was found on a seat belt buckle of the car believed to have been used by the gunmen and on a latex glove tip – but that 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,” the judge said.
“And I therefore find him not guilty.”
Mr Justice Hart has been presiding over the non-jury trial since it began in November last year and made his ruling on Friday morning.
Duffy had been charged with the murders of Sappers Mark Quinsey, 23, and Patrick Azimkar, 21, who were gunned down as they collected a pizza delivery outside Massereene barracks on March 7 2009.
The young soldiers, along with their 38 Engineers regiment, were due to be deployed to Afghanistan early the next day.
Having been acquitted, Duffy is now due to be released from custody.
The court was cleared for a time before proceedings continued and a verdict is imminent in relation to Duffy’s co-accused Brian Shivers.
Both men have denied all the charges against them throughout their trial.
The gun attack, which came just two days after then PSNI Chief Constable Sir Hugh Orde confirmed the threat from dissident republicans in Northern Ireland was at critical level, was later claimed by the Real IRA.
