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A man had his nose broken after two men had gone to his home in Kells amidst accusations a firework had been thrown into a garden.

Quinton Neill McFall (42), of Crosshill View, Kells, and Ihan Westerhuis (22), of Main Street, in Kells, appeared at Ballymena Magistrates' Court on Thursday (November 24) for sentencing.

McFall was charged with assault occasioning actual bodily harm and being a trespasser in a property on September 12 last year.

Westerhuis faced one charge, assaulting the man's wife.

The men were convicted after a previous court contest.

A prosecutor told the court the householders said the defendants came to their property accusing an occupant of "throwing a firework in their garden".

The defendants tried to push their way into the house after an argument started.

McFall punched the man in the face, breaking his nose. He then entered the house "to take a mobile phone from the victim's son who had been recording the incident".

The injured man's wife suffered bruising to her arms as Westerhuis pushed past her into her home.

A defence lawyer for McFall accepted it was a "serious case".

A lawyer for Westerhuis said "events got out of control as a consequence of a firework".

District Judge Nigel Broderick told the men: "Whatever your issues were about an allegation of a firework, in no way justifies you taking the law into your own hands. All this was done in front of a child. To see their parents being assaulted is a serious matter".

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McFall was given a six-month prison term, suspended for two years, and made the subject of a two-year Restraining Order.

Westerhuis was ordered to do 120 hours of Community Service and was made the subject of a two-year Restraining Order.

Man suffered broken nose in his home following 'firework' allegation