Mervyn Storey MLA and Ian Paisley MP said
“We expressed our condolences to those who mourned David Tweed’s death in a road traffic accident but 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. It was never our intention to add to any hurt suffered nor would we ever be dismissive of any victim of abuse. No one could be but devastated by these accounts and we have always sought to support and enable abuse victims to come forward by supporting Women’s Aid and other such fantastic organisations.”