Former school welfare officer found guilty of sexual assaults on teenage girls

Former school welfare officer found guilty of sexual assaults on teenage girls

16 October 2024

A FORMER school welfare officer and Army cadet leader from Kilmore has been found guilty of sexually assaulting teenage girls.

Forty three year-old Neil Beckett – who worked at Lagan College – was last week told by Judge Philip Gilpin after being convicted that from “this moment on, you are a registered sex offender”.

Beckett was found guilty of 16 counts of sexual assault and one count of sexual grooming, spanning an eight-year period between 2015 and 2023.

He was remanded in custody.

Judge Gilpin also told Beckett that the length of time he will spend on the Sex Offenders Register will be determined when he is sentenced on December 6 on a total of 17 charges.

Eleven teenagers had brought charges against Beckett. Nine were pupils from Lagan College and two were Army cadets.

Beckett was found not guilty of rape which was alleged to have taken place some time between 2013 and 2015 while he was an Army cadet leader.

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

During the trial, which spanned five weeks, the court heard from Lagan College pupils and Army cadets who said that Beckett had hugged, kissed and tickled them and touched their thighs under their skirts.

In doing so he had made them feel uncomfortable, the court was told.

The father-of-one stood trial on a total of 29 charges which he denied.

After deliberating for over two days, the jury of six men and six women returned ‘unanimous’ verdicts on all the charges at Belfast Crown Court last Friday.

Beckett was acquitted of the rape charge, of sexual communication with a child and ten counts of sexual abuse.

Whilst he was cleared of raping and sexually assaulting an Army Cadet, Beckett was convicted of sexually grooming her. He was also convicted of sexually abusing a second Army Cadet by hugging, kissing and tickling her.

In relation to the Lagan College pupils, Beckett was convicted of sexually abusing seven of them and acquitted of offences against a further two complainants.

This abuse consisted of hugging, kissing and tickling the pupils whilst in his position of power within the school and of touching some of the girls thighs under their skirts.

Beckett stood in the dock and frowned as the verdicts were read out by the jury’s foreman. 

The jury was then addressed by Judge Gilpin who said: “I want to thank you for the commitment you have shown. This has been a long trial and you have shown it great care and attention.

“Thank you for the commitment and great care you have given your task and you are now discharged from service in relation to this case.”

The judge then ordered a pre-sentence Report be compiled on Beckett, who was placed on the Sex Offenders Register. 

Regarding the issue of bail, Crown barrister David McNeill said Beckett had been convicted of sexual offences against nine victims over the course of up to eight years.

He added: “The courts in this jurisdiction have been clear that those who commit sexual offences against children in breach of trust will inevitably face condign punishment.”

Asking that her client be granted continuing bail ahead of sentencing, defence barrister Laura Ievers KC said she felt the it would be easier and “more helpful” for the Probation Service to compile their report if Beckett was “at liberty”.

Judge Gilpin told Beckett: “As you have heard, the jury have found you guilty of a number of counts and not guilty of other counts. In relation to those counts you have been found guilty of, the court is required to pass sentence upon you.”

After setting the date for the plea hearing as Friday December 6, Judge Gilpin added: “You are, from this point on, a registered sex offender.”

The judge continued: “The precise duration of that will depend on the ultimate sentence that the court passes. The one issue at large is whether or not you should continue on bail or whether or not you should be admitted to custody at this stage.”

The judge said that due to guilty convictions against nine children, there was “a certain inevitability in what may occur”.