Face of Co Antrim woman (29) accused of sexual activity with underage boy

Standing in the dock of Ballymena Magistrates Court, 29-year-old Safron Smyth confirmed she understood the two charges against her.

Smyth, from Doury Grove in Ballymena, is accused of engaging in sexual activity with a child aged 13-16 and of inciting the schoolboy to engage in sexual activity on 21 August last year and at the time “you did not reasonably believe that he was 16 years or over.”

None of the alleged facts surrounding the charges were opened in court but a police officer gave evidence that she believed she could connect Smyth to the charges.

The court also heard that while Smyth has been on police bail since she was first charged, the PPS were applying for her bail to be varied to bar her from a specific area of Ballymena.

With defence solicitor Stewart Ballentine raising no objection to that, District Judge Nigel Broderick granted that and freed Smyth on her own bail of £500 with conditions not to contact the complainant or anyone connected with the investigation.

The case was adjourned to 20 April.