PSNI chief constable Jon Boutcher issued a personal apology to Peter Corrigan and Darragh Mackin of Phoenix Law after the McCullough review found that the were the subject of unlawful surveillance which trespassed upon legal professional privilege.

In a joint statement, Mr Mackin and Mr Corrigan said the report “confirms that those who are tasked with administering the law have broken the law”.

They said their clients “are entitled to the very basic protections under the rule of law, which includes the principle of legal professional privilege”.

The PSNI’s conduct was “alien to a modern democracy” and “more akin to a home in Russia or North Korea”, they added.

The lawyers have said the findings could have implications for the convictions of Brendan McConville and John Paul Wootton, also known as the “Craigavon Two”, for the 2009 murder of PSNI officer Stephen Carroll.

Mr Mackin and Mr Corrigan said: “At the epicentre of this scandal are two men whose fair trial rights were eroded with contempt. We were just goldfish in a bowl for the police, in their efforts to secure convictions at all costs.

“We are now formally instructed to bring this matter to the urgent attention of the CCRC who are currently adjudicating on the case of the Craigavon Two.”