Controversies: His conviction was quashed on 25 October 2016 due to issues arround presentation of evidence of bad character. As he had served almost 4 years he was not retried.</ref><ref>https://m.belfasttelegraph.co.uk/news/northern-ireland/pps-to-decide-if-ex-ireland-rugby-player-david-tweed-will-face-retrial-over-child-sex-abuse-claims-35276161.html</ref>
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In January 2009, Tweed was charged with ten sex offences against two young girls, spanning an eight-year period; he was acquitted in May 2009.<ref>[http://www.belfasttelegraph.co.uk/news/local-national/exrugby-star-is-cleared-over-10-sex-charges-14312516.html ”Belfast Telegraph”] report of 2009 acquittal</ref><ref>[http://www.newsletter.co.uk/news/Councillor-cleared-of-sex-charges.5295939.jp Report of Tweed’s 2009 acquittal], newsletter.co.uk; accessed 3 May 2015.</ref> He was acquitted on 27 November 2012 of one charge of indecent assault on a child.<ref name=”bn575811″/><ref>[https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-northern-ireland-20510864 BBC News] report of 2012 acquittal</ref>
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In January 2009, Tweed was charged with ten sex offences against two young girls, spanning an eight-year period; he was acquitted in May 2009.<ref>[http://www.belfasttelegraph.co.uk/news/local-national/exrugby-star-is-cleared-over-10-sex-charges-14312516.html ”Belfast Telegraph”] report of 2009 acquittal</ref><ref>[http://www.newsletter.co.uk/news/Councillor-cleared-of-sex-charges.5295939.jp Report of Tweed’s 2009 acquittal], newsletter.co.uk; accessed 3 May 2015.</ref> He was acquitted on 27 November 2012 of one charge of indecent assault on a child.<ref name=”bn575811″/><ref>[https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-northern-ireland-20510864 BBC News] report of 2012 acquittal</ref>
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On 28 November 2012, he was convicted on 13 counts of gross indecency, indecent assault of two young girls and inciting gross indecency, spanning an eight-year period from 1988 onwards.<ref name=”belfasttelegraph.co.uk”>{{cite news|url=http://www.belfasttelegraph.co.uk/news/local-national/northern-ireland/former-irish-rugby-international-david-tweed-guilty-of-child-sex-abuse-16243768.html|title=Former Irish rugby international David Tweed guilty of child sex abuse|work=Belfast Telegraph|date=29 November 2012|accessdate=29 July 2014}}</ref> His conviction was quashed on 25 October 2016.
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On 28 November 2012, he was convicted on 13 counts of gross indecency, indecent assault of two young girls and inciting gross indecency, spanning an eight-year period from 1988 onwards.<ref name=”belfasttelegraph.co.uk”>{{cite news|url=http://www.belfasttelegraph.co.uk/news/local-national/northern-ireland/former-irish-rugby-international-david-tweed-guilty-of-child-sex-abuse-16243768.html|title=Former Irish rugby international David Tweed guilty of child sex abuse|work=Belfast Telegraph|date=29 November 2012|accessdate=29 July 2014}}</ref> His conviction was quashed on 25 October 2016 due to issues arround presentation of evidence of bad character. As he had served almost 4 years in prison he was not retried.</ref><ref>https://m.belfasttelegraph.co.uk/news/northern-ireland/pps-to-decide-if-ex-ireland-rugby-player-david-tweed-will-face-retrial-over-child-sex-abuse-claims-35276161.html</ref>
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<ref name=”bbc.co.uk”>[https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-northern-ireland-37768131 David Tweed: former Ireland rugby international child sexual abuse convictions quashed]</ref>
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After the conviction was announced the Orange Order terminated his membership of the organisation. The [[Royal Black Institution]], of which Tweed is also a member, stated it had begun the process of expelling him from its membership.<ref>[https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-northern-ireland-20544249 “David Tweed expelled from Orange Order due to abuse conviction”], bbc.co.uk, 29 November 2012.</ref> Pending sentencing he remained a member of Ballymena Borough Council and of the TUV,<ref name=”belfasttelegraph.co.uk”/> although the party announced on 15 November that it had ‘suspended’ his membership “not because we doubt his innocence, but because this is what the party rules require.”<ref>[http://www.newsletter.co.uk/news/headlines/david-tweed-suspended-from-tuv-while-on-sex-charges-trial-1-4488146 ”News Letter”], Belfast, 15 November 2012</ref> The TUV noted that the sex offences related “to a period long before he was a member of this party”.<ref>”Tweed remarks hurt family, says mum of murder victim”, ”The Irish News”, 30 November 2012.</ref> The TUV chose one of its unsuccessful 2011 candidates, Timothy Gaston, to replace Tweed as a councillor.<ref>Maeve Connolly, “TUV replaces sex abuser ex-councillor”, ”[The Irish News]”, 16 February 2013</ref>
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After the conviction was announced the Orange Order terminated his membership of the organisation. The [[Royal Black Institution]], of which Tweed is also a member, stated it had begun the process of expelling him from its membership.<ref>[https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-northern-ireland-20544249 “David Tweed expelled from Orange Order due to abuse conviction”], bbc.co.uk, 29 November 2012.</ref> Pending sentencing he remained a member of Ballymena Borough Council and of the TUV,<ref name=”belfasttelegraph.co.uk”/> although the party announced on 15 November that it had ‘suspended’ his membership “not because we doubt his innocence, but because this is what the party rules require.”<ref>[http://www.newsletter.co.uk/news/headlines/david-tweed-suspended-from-tuv-while-on-sex-charges-trial-1-4488146 ”News Letter”], Belfast, 15 November 2012</ref> The TUV noted that the sex offences related “to a period long before he was a member of this party”.<ref>”Tweed remarks hurt family, says mum of murder victim”, ”The Irish News”, 30 November 2012.</ref> The TUV chose one of its unsuccessful 2011 candidates, Timothy Gaston, to replace Tweed as a councillor.<ref>Maeve Connolly, “TUV replaces sex abuser ex-councillor”, ”[The Irish News]”, 16 February 2013</ref>
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