03/12/2012

David Tweed Expelled From TUV

Former Ireland and Ulster rugby star David Tweed has been expelled from the Traditional Unionist Voice party over his conviction of the sexual abuse of two girls.

Last week Mr Tweed was found guilty of 13 charges of sexually abusing two girls over an eight-year period.

The 53-year-old Ballymena councillor and member of the Royal Black Institution (RBI) was suspended from the TUV in 2011 when initially charged. He did not renew his membership of the party.

The TUV said that if he had, he would now have been expelled. He was also thrown out of the Orange Order following the conviction.

The RBI is currently in the process of expelling Tweed. On Thursday a spokesman for the RBI said: "Following the conviction of David Tweed the process began yesterday to expel him from the institution."

Mr Tweed will be sentenced in the New Year.

He is still an elected member of Ballymena Borough Council, to which he was first elected in 1997.

Ballymena Borough Council said: "We will be considering this matter in conjunction with the relevant electoral legislation; however, no final decision can be made on the matter until the exact sentence is known."

(IT)

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