Angela Sharkey: 'I still cannot understand why they did this to my innocent children'

They were also convicted of ­attempting to murder Mrs Sharkey, the sole survivor who was left badly injured but bravely gave evidence against them during an 11-week trial.

The crime that shocked Scotland and exposed a dark underbelly to the quiet seaside town was ordered by convicted drug dealer Snowden and took place while he was holidaying with his family in Mexico.

He was motivated by a suspicion that Mr Sharkey – who also had a previous conviction for drug dealing – was planning to set him up for a police drugs bust. It was carried out by his henchman Jennings, who poured petrol through the letterbox of the family's three-bedroom flat at 5am and set it alight.

As flames ripped through the ­property temperatures reached more than 900°C and both Thomas Sharkey Jr and his sister, Bridget, died at the scene from smoke inhalation.

Their father Thomas Sr, 55, died in hospital six days later having suffered 30% burns to his body.

Mrs Sharkey, 48, survived on a life-support machine and relatives were forced to break the news when she awoke that her entire family had been killed.

Responding to yesterday's verdicts, Mrs Sharkey said she was delighted by the verdicts and revealed she could now get on with her life, which had been "on hold" for the past two years.

She said: "We have all had to do our best to come to terms with the fact we have lost three very special people in a horrific way.

"Personally, knowing the people responsible are being prevented from carrying out such a crime again will help. I still struggle to understand why they felt it necessary to do what they did to my innocent children, but I will have to learn to live with that."

Mrs Sharkey thanked friends, family and colleagues for the "love and support they have given me unconditionally since day one", and praised the work of the police and emergency services.

She added: "Justice has been done, that's the main thing. And all the people who worked really, really hard - their hard work has been rewarded with the right result and that's important for me.

"To know it's not going to happen 
to some other family is the main 
thing. That has always been the main thing for me."

Prosecutor Alex Prentice told the trial "mere words would not be adequate to express the deep sense of loss suffered by her and her family".

Trial judge Lord Matthews told the jurors: "As Mr Prentice has said, this is the second anniversary of the fatal fire. Like today it was a lovely day.

"It's tragic that circumstances like this bring us here to court. In this case we have been dealing with a situation where three people have died. One of them was a young man who had a great future ahead of him and a girl who in other circumstances would have been at a sleep over."

Snowden was also found guilty yesterday of three assaults, one breach of the peace and one charge of supplying cocaine.

Jennings was also found guilty of two assaults and supplying cocaine.

Snowden had previous convictions for misuse of drugs, for which he recently served 19 months, and violent offences.

Jennings had other previous ­convictions for housebreaking, assault and drug offences.

Detective Superintendent John McGovern, who headed the murder investigation, said the convictions would bring to an end a reign of terror by both men over Helensburgh which had left many witnesses initially too frightened to give evidence against them.

He said: "I am delighted with the verdict, particularly for Angela Sharkey and her family who throughout the investigation displayed great dignity and never once questioned the investigation."

Meanwhile, Mrs Sharkey said the loss of her family was still the first thing she thought about on waking and the last thing before going to sleep. "I hope they are looking down and feeling I can carry on now," she said.

She added that she did not know what the future held for her but that she would "just have to start again" and one day at a time.