Neil Beckett trial hears how principal reacted to allegations

Neil Beckett pictured at a previous court appearance

The jury at the trial of a former school welfare officer accused of sex offences against teenage girls has heard how the principal of the school reacted upon first hearing about the alleged offences.

The principal of Lagan College in south Belfast, Amanda McNamee was asked to tell the court the actions taken by the school once it was made aware of allegations against Neil Beckett, who is 43 and from Kilmore in Crossgar.

The former school welfare officer is facing 29 charges of sex offences against teenage girls

He denies all charges against him.

Parental concern

Mr Beckett was working at Lagan College at the time of some of the alleged offences.

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.

The charges span a decade between 2013 and 2023 and involve 11 alleged victims, nine of whom were pupils at Lagan College.

Belfast Crown Court heard that he joined the school in August 2021 and the principal said that it was in October 2022 that the first allegations came to her attention.

One pupil told a member of staff Mr Beckett hugged her and kissed her on the cheek.

The other said that Mr Beckett had given her a hug under her blazer.

On these instances she advised that parents should be informed and she wanted to hear the parents' reaction before deciding the best course of action.

The matter was also raised with the safeguarding team within the school.

She said that the parents were concerned the behaviour was inappropriate but accepted that it may have been in response to their children being upset.

It was the parents case, she says, that the actions were not of a "sexual nature".

The following day the principal said she had a meeting with Mr Beckett about the allegations and confirmed at this point that no formal complaint had been submitted from parents but there was parental concern.

Neil Beckett denied all of the allegations.

He was not told which pupils had raised them.

Mrs McNamee said she reminded him of the need to apply "platinum standard of boundaries" in protecting and caring for the children.

She says he became upset and did not know what he had done wrong.

Mrs McNamee told the court Mr Beckett was taken through the school's safeguarding policy and his job description "line by line".

He was also reminded that he was not a counsellor and to demonstrate appropriate levels of personal distance.

She confirmed that he continued his role as before and that the parents were happy for him to continue contact with the pupils involved if necessary.

Every step followed 'procedure'

The principal then told the court that further allegations were brought to her in January 2023.

One of the allegations was that Beckett placed a hand on a pupils thigh whilst lying in a medical bed and placed a hand under her blazer.

Mrs McNamee says it was after this that the allegations were referred to the school's safeguarding team, the board of governors, and the child protection team at the Education Authority.

She says a number of meetings were held with Neil Beckett and an HR representative.

He denied the pupils allegations and said the only contact was giving a plaster.

A strategy meeting was held and the matter was referred to the PSNI.

Neil Beckett was also placed on precautionary suspension to "protect both pupils and staff".

The principal told the court at this point it was not the schools place to "accuse someone of wrongdoing" and that every step was "following school procedure".

Mrs McNamee says further allegations came to light in February which were forwarded to police "as soon as they were received".

A defence barrister put to the principal that Neil Beckett had expressed concern that a large number of pupils were coming to him and said he had asked if the pupils making in the allegations in October could no longer come to him.

Mrs McNamee says she has no memory of this request.

No recollection

The barrister also put to her that Beckett had asked for his door to be kept open so things could be clearly seen and also suggesting removing the medical bed.

Mrs McNamee again said she had no recollection of this and it wasn't in her minutes.

The defence said Mr Beckett claimed that he had told the principal that he was writing up concerns about one pupil but hadn't finished.

Mrs McNamee said she did not recall such a conversation.

All of the alleged victims have now given evidence before the court. The case at Belfast Crown Court continues.

The trial continues.