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The High Court in Belfast has heard that soil found on a boot belonging to prominent republican Colin Duffy matches a sample in a getaway car allegedly used by gunmen who murdered two British soldiers outside a Co Antrim military base.

Prosecutors also claimed the chances of a DNA profile on a latex glove particle recovered from the floor of the vehicle belonging to anyone else were less than one in a billion.

Mr Duffy (41), of Forest Glade, Lurgan, Co Armagh, is charged with the murders of sappers Mark Quinsey (23), and Patrick Azimkar (21), who were shot dead at the gates of Massereene Army barracks in March.

Mr Duffy is also accused of five counts of attempted murders and possession of firearms with intent.

Opposing his application for bail, Crown barrister Tessa Kitson said on the night of the attack two masked gunmen fired more than 60 rounds at the victims before escaping in a waiting car.

She told the court the car was later found partially burnt out in Randalstown, with forensic examinations carried out on the tip of a glove retrieved from the front passenger side of a vehicle said to have been purchased the previous month.

“The result from that is the chance of obtaining a matching profile of DNA other than that from this applicant would be less than one in one billion,” she said.

Mixed profiles from up to three people were also found on a seatbelt buckle. A forensic scientist concluded that one of them could have come from Mr Duffy, according to the prosecution.

Further searches of a glove compartment located the same type of ammunition used in the attack, while a hold-all found in the boot contained camouflage jackets, trousers and more bullets, the court heard.

She claimed that because of the length of sentence Mr Duffy faces should he be convicted there would be an “almost overwhelming” temptation to flee the country if released on bail.

Mr Justice Weatherup adjourned the application until prosecutors can confirm whether or not a case is to proceed against Mr Duffy.

Although the judge said he was not satisfied that no risk existed by releasing the accused, he stressed that any potential delay in bringing the case to trial was unacceptable.