Abuse claims disgusting, heart-wrenching - Tweed

David Tweed, a former Irish rugby international, denies charges of indecent assault against two girls a number of years ago.

Yesterday (Tuesday) Tweed took the stand at Antrim Crown Court to give evidence in his defence.

During his testimony, the accused broke down in tears as his defence barrister Laurence McCrudden QC outlined the charges against him.

Speaking about an allegation that he had performed a sex act in front of one of the victims, he replied: “It’s disgusting every time you hear it.”

He added: “It is heartwrenching to hear. I have come up against some troubles in my time, but nothing as hard as that.”

His defence barrister read out further evidence, in which one victim claimed Tweed had called her a “stupid, dirty b****” during another alleged incident of abuse.

Tweed denied the allegation and said he would not use such language.

Responding to another allegation, he replied: “Totally and absolutely not true.”

When asked what his initial reaction was to the allegations made against him, Tweed said it was “disbelief and anger”.

“It was as if you were hit by a sledgehammer,” he added.

The court also heard that Tweed had given up playing rugby in the last five or six years.

The 53-year-old said he had represented Ballymena, Ulster and Ireland during his career.

Tweed, who has served as a councillor for Ballymena South since 1997, has been suspended from the TUV

pending the outcome of the trial.

Both of the alleged victims, who have already testified in court, were not present as Tweed gave his evidence.

The trial was briefly interrupted as it was forced to move to another courtroom in the complex, due to persistent interference with the microphone system.

At the beginning of yesterday’s hearing, the detective leading the investigation faced questions from Tweed’s defence barrister.

The detective constable confirmed that he had obtained from a solicitor’s office compensation claim forms signed by both of the alleged victims.

The court has previously heard that the alleged victims had made written statements to a solicitor before making similar statements to the police.

The detective constable also agreed that a statement made by one of the alleged victims to a solicitor varied in the sequence of allegations to the later statement she made to police.

The detective constable said he wanted the allegations presented in chronological order in the police statement.

Tweed will be cross examined by the prosecution when the trial resumes this morning.

The trial is expected to conclude on Friday.