Timeline in two years of debate

May 9 2014 – Gareth Lee, a member of the Queerspace gay rights advocacy group, places an order at Ashers Baking Company on Belfast’s Royal Avenue for a cake to be decorated with the slogan Support Gay Marriage alongside the Sesame Street characters Bert and Ernie. The order is accepted by Karen McArthur and payment of £36.50 is made in full.

May 11 – Mr Lee is telephoned and informed that the order cannot be completed. Mr Lee is offered a full refund.

June 26 – Northern Ireland Equality Commission writes to Ashers requesting that modest compensation be paid.

July 7 – The Christian Institute announces it will back Ashers after the company declines to settle the case.

October 24 – Equality Commission writes again to Ashers and puts the bakery officially “on notice” of impending court action.

March 26 2015 – The three-day civil suit is opened at Belfast County Court.

May 19 – District Judge Isobel Brownlie rules in favour of the Equality Commission. The company is ordered to pay agreed costs of £500.

May 23 – The Republic of Ireland approves same-sex marriage following a referendum.

May 9 – An appeal in the case of Gareth Lee v Ashers Baking Company is opened before Northern Ireland’s Lord Chief Justice Sir Declan Morgan and two other top judges in Belfast’s Royal Courts of Justice.

October 24 – Ashers Baking Company return to Belfast’s Royal Courts of Justice to hear the Appeal Court ruling.