A 33-year-old woman has appeared before Ballymena Magistrates' Court charged in connection with an incident in which a lit firework was pushed through a letterbox in Larne.

Laura Knox, of Curran Road in Larne, is accused of involvement in the attack, which occurred around 6am on 26 November 2022. A prosecutor told the court that a firework was placed through the door of a woman’s home and exploded inside, causing damage to walls and skirting boards.

The victim believed Knox was responsible and contacted her via Snapchat to challenge her about the matter. A man has already been sentenced to 200 hours of community service for his part in the incident.

The court heard that CCTV footage and a selfie taken on a mobile phone shortly before the explosion showed Knox in the same clothing as a woman seen walking a dog near the property. The photograph, taken at 5.50am, carried the caption ‘Late night strolls’. A text message sent from Knox’s phone at 6.26am read: ‘Was it you I got the fireworks off?’

The case experienced significant delays, only reaching its first court hearing in March of this year. The prosecution received the police file in September 2023 but it was not allocated to a prosecutor until August 2024, and a prosecution decision was entered in January 2025.

The victim is seeking a restraining order, alleging that there have been further incidents, including online posts about her and calls to her employer in which she was described as a ‘junkie’ and unfit for work. Defence counsel said there had been no direct contact between the parties since the firework offence and questioned the need for an order.

District Judge Nigel Broderick adjourned the case until 25 June and indicated he would consider imposing a restraining order if evidence of the alleged subsequent incidents was provided.