Former school officer denies raping young girl
Neil Beckett pictured at a previous court appearance
- Published
A former school welfare officer has denied raping a young girl while he was involved with the Army cadets.
Neil Beckett from Kilmore near Crossgar is facing 29 charges of sex offences against teenage girls.
The 43-year-old denies all the charges involving 11 alleged victims, nine of whom were pupils at Lagan College in Belfast.
Two other alleged victims were teenage Army cadets at a time when, prior to taking up his role at the school, Mr Beckett was an Army cadet leader at Malone detachment in Belfast.
'It did not happen'
Appearing in the witness stand at his trial, for the first time, Mr Beckett was asked by his defence team how he responded to an allegation that he raped a young cadet.
He replied: "It did not happen."
Mr Beckett also denied calling to her home when she was 14 or 15 years of age.
He said: "I didn't know where she lived."
He gave the same answer when he was asked if he digitally penetrated or sexually assaulted the same girl.
When he was asked if he threatened the girl or her family, he said "no".
He also responded to a claim by another alleged victim, who was at the same Army cadet detachment, that he communicated with her through the social media app Snapchat, saying: "I've never had Snapchat".
'Weakness in my arm'
Mr Beckett was working at Lagan College in Belfast at the time of most of the alleged offences.
The charges span a decade between 2013 and 2023.
He denieds allegations, including hugging, touching, and kissing schoolgirls at the college.
Mr Beckett was asked to tell the jury, of six men and six women, about a medical condition he suffers from, Kienbock's disease.
He explained that he was diagnosed with the disease in 2017 and has since worn a cast on one arm and a strap on the other.
When he was asked if, as alleged, he once lifted a schoolgirl, Mr Beckett replied "I wouldn't have been able to" and added "because I have a weakness in my arm".
The trial continues.