David Tweed: Jim Allister stands by condolences to former councillor

David Tweed died after a motorcycle crash last month

Jim Allister has said he stands by a statement of condolence he made after the death of David Tweed.

The Traditional Unionist Voice (TUV) party leader said he was "entitled to express condolences" if someone died.

Tweed, who served time in jail for child sex abuse, died last month.

Earlier, two Democratic Unionist Party (DUP) politicians said they did not intend to "add to any hurt suffered" by victims of Tweed with their statements of condolence.

All three politicians had been criticised by a victim and stepdaughter of Tweed, who called Mr Allister's remarks "distressing".

Tweed had served as a unionist councillor and was a former Ireland rugby player and died after a motorcycle crash at Dunseverick in County Antrim on 28 October.

His child abuse conviction was subsequently quashed due to the way the jury had been directed in his initial trial.

Following his death, Tweed was described as "larger than life" by Mr Allister.

Mr Allister also said he was "deeply saddened" to learn of Tweed's death and expressed his "sincere sympathy to his grieving family and wide circle of friends".

Jim Allister said he was "entitled to express condolences"

Last week, Tweed's victim and stepdaughter Amanda Brown, who was abused by her stepfather from the age of eight, criticised comments from some politicians, including Mr Allister.

• Listen: Amanda Brown tells Talkback of stepfather Tweed

Speaking to BBC News NI earlier, Mr Allister said: "My purpose in this is not to be vexatious or to visit discomfort or hurt on anyone but I am entitled to say that if someone passes that I am entitled to express condolences.

"What was disrespectful about [my condolences]?

"Wasn't he a larger-than-life character? He was physically large, he was a man of considerable presence.

"I don't see that as any sort of insult to anyone to say the truth."

Mr Allister added: "The due process of the law has to count for something, that doesn't mean that I don't understand and don't empathise with those who fell wronged and feel they were victims of whatever type and description - of course I do.

"But I'm not going to be bullied into saying the court was wrong.

"That seems to be the demand, that I, as a public representative, should repudiate our courts - I'm not in that business,"

In response to Mr Allister's interview, Ms Brown on Tuesday night published a letter she had written to the TUV leader.

In a tweet she said his comments had caused distress to Tweed's victims and their families.

In the letter she said: "Your comments have caused distress to his [Tweed's] victims and their families, as well as potentially causing distress and offence to all victims whether they have found the courage to speak out or not."

Tweed had been a member of the DUP and later the TUV.

'Massively disrespectful'

The DUP's Ian Paisley and Mervyn Storey were also among those criticised by Ms Brown.

Speaking last week, Ms Brown told BBC News NI that politicians should have been more careful with their use of language.

"I think it's massively disrespectful to victims, not only Davy Tweed's victims but all victims of abuse," she told the Talkback programme.

"The message that they're putting out is it doesn't really matter that we have heard about what this man has done, we'll still call him a great man."

On Sunday Tweed's sister Hazel McAllister said she had received "many threats" from her brother.

"Even though he's gone, I still have that fear," she told the Sunday World newspaper.

Shortly after Tweed's death, Mr Storey described him as a "larger-than-life character" and said: "It is well known that he had some difficult and sad times in his life and it is very upsetting to hear of his passing."

Mervyn Storey (left) and Ian Paisley issued a joint statement on Tuesday

Mr Paisley had said he would "send my condolences and heartfelt prayers" to Tweed's family "at what must be an unimaginably heart-breaking time for them".

In a statement issued to Irish national broadcaster RTÉ on Tuesday, Mr Paisley and Mr Storey said they had expressed condolences to "those who mourned David Tweed's death".

"We would want nothing in our statements to take away from the subsequent powerful and distressing words of his daughters who have bravely told of the horrific abuse they suffered and the weekend comments of one of his sisters," they said.

"It was never our intention to add to any hurt suffered nor would we ever be dismissive of any victim of abuse."

They said they had "always sought to support and enable abuse victims to come forward by supporting Women's Aid and other such fantastic organisations".