Pensioner in court over the death of David Tweed

Former councillor David Tweed died in a motorcycle crash in 2021

A pensioner has appeared in court accused of causing the death of disgraced former councillor and Ireland international rugby player David Tweed.

The 61 year old died in October 2021 when his motorcycle was involved in a collision with a car in the Whitepark Road area of Ballycastle, County Antrim.

Anne Broughton, 71, from the Whitepark Road in Ballycastle, confirmed she understood the single charge of causing death by careless driving against her at Coleraine Magistrates' Court on Thursday.

She said she had no objections to the case being returned for trial at the Crown Court.

Mr Tweed was a councillor for the Democratic Unionist Party (DUP) but left the party in 2007 over its decision to share power with Sinn Féin.

He later joined the Traditional Unionist Voice (TUV).

In 2012, he was convicted on child sex abuse charges, which were quashed in 2016 due to the way the jury was directed in his initial trial, after he served four years of an eight-year sentence.

His family have spoken out about the abuse.

Following his conviction, he was expelled from the Orange Order and was suspended and then replaced by the TUV.

Mrs Broughton was released on bail until her arraignment on 7 May at Antrim Crown Court.