Colin Duffy and Brian Shivers deny Massereene murders

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Colin Duffy
Image caption,
Colin Duffy is one of two men accused of killing the soldiers

Two men have denied murdering two soldiers outside Massereene Army Barracks in 2009.

Colin Duffy, 43, and Brian Shivers, 45, both pleaded not guilty to the murders of Sappers Patrick Azimkar and Mark Quinsey in Antrim.

Mr Duffy, from Forest Glade in Lurgan and Mr Shivers from Sperrin Mews in Magherafelt, also pleaded not guilty to six further charges of attempted murder

They also denied possessing two guns and ammunition used in the attack.

The Sappers were killed and two other soldiers and two civilians were injured in a hail of around 60 shots as they collected a pizza outside their barracks, just days before they were due on a tour of duty to Afghanistan.

'DNA evidence'

The Vauxhall car used by the gunmen to escape the scene was later found burnt out on the Ranaghan Road in Randalstown, around seven miles from the scene of the fatal shooting.

A previous court heard that the Crown's case was that DNA evidence connected both Mr Shivers and Mr Duffy to the car and items found in it.

A lawyer for the prosecution asked the judge on Friday to "review the case on a regular basis" and also for defence statements to be lodged as soon as possible.

Mr Duffy's lawyer said that would be done and asked Mr Justice McLaughlin to list a bail application on his client's behalf next week.

The judge said he would hear that application next Wednesday and listed the case for review on 9 September.