School welfare officer guilty of sexual assault

A former school welfare officer and army cadet leader has been found guilty of sexually assaulting teenage girls.

Neil Beckett, 43, of Kilmore, near Crossgar in County Down, was told by the judge that “from this moment onwards you are a registered sex offender”.

Beckett was found guilty of 16 counts of sexual assault and one count of sexual harassment.

They cover a period of eight years between 2015 and 2023.

Eleven teenagers had brought charges against Beckett.

Nine were Lagan College students and two were army cadets.

Beckett was found not guilty of the rape, which is said to have taken place between 2013 and 2015 when he was an army cadet leader.

He was also found not guilty of sexual communication with a child and 10 additional counts of sexual assault.

During the trial, which spanned five weeks, the court heard from Lagan College students and army cadets that Beckett hugged them, kissed them, touched their thighs under the girls’ skirts and tickled them.

The court heard that he had made them uncomfortable.

The judge thanked the jurors for their dedication during what he called a long trial and said they had carried out their duties with great care and attention.

Beckett will be sentenced on December 6th.