A former Health and Welfare Officer and former Army Cadet Leader has been jailed today, Friday 6th December for sexual offences against a number of teenage girls in his care.

Neil Clarke Beckett from Kilmore Village, Crossgar sexually assaulted and had inappropriate contact with nine female pupils, aged between 14 and 17 during the years 2022-2023 at Lagan College school in Belfast.

As part of the same trial, he was also sentenced today for sexual offences against two young females, aged between 12 and 16, both members of the Army Cadets, between 2014 and 2019.

Beckett, 43 years of age, was arrested and subsequently charged with 26 counts of sexual assault, one of sexual communications with a child and one count of sexual grooming.

He was sentenced today at Belfast Crown Court to a total of three years, 18 months in prison and 18 months on licence. He was also handed a five year Sexual Offences Protection Order, and will be on the sex offenders register indefinitely.

Detective Inspector Noelle Gray, said: “Beckett was in a position of trust and he abused that by taking advantage of young girls who he should have been supporting.

“These were young girls who were on a list, which he had access to, for extra support due to their identified vulnerabilities. He preyed on them and thought he would get away with it through manipulation. He was wrong.

“He also sexually abused young girls under his authority in the Army Cadets. These girls have been left traumatised by this man. We hope today’s sentencing can provide them with some closure to begin their healing journey.

“I’d like to praise the victims who have shown immense bravery and courage in supporting the investigation.

“We will continue to work around the clock to bring child predators before the courts and would encourage anyone who may have been abused in a similar way to come forward. The passage of time doesn’t matter.

“Child abuse cannot continue in Northern Ireland, we will do everything in our power to stop predators in their tracks and get victims the justice they deserve.”

A father of one of Beckett’s victims, and his 20 year old child who was a student of Lagan College are both speaking out anonymously.

She has released an anonymous statement today saying: “Never in my life have I encountered a more charmingly manipulative man. He found a way to coerce myself and many others just through his words and later his abuse. He found a way to make me comfortable enough to tell him all about my life and my trauma, which no doubt allowed him to identify me as vulnerable. This is something he clearly took great enjoyment out of. Still,

two years after being out of that school and away from his manipulation, I feel the effects of his abuse. I don’t sleep properly, I don’t eat properly, and I don’t have the ability to trust the people I love the most. This is what abuse does. This is what he does.”

Her father added: “It’s very painful to watch your own child suffer, particularly when they have autism and other complex needs; their deteriorating mental health, their unfounded guilt about not coming forward sooner, their fear of going to school, their fear of going to counselling and having their life plans severely disrupted.

“Neil Beckett preyed on vulnerable girls, many of whom trusted him and were attending him for pastoral care as my daughter was.  He was a very manipulative, narcissistic, controlling and serial predator and I am glad that he is no longer a threat to children. 

“Beckett’s lies were exposed by the dogged determination of detectives and the forensic prosecution by the two PPS barristers. We are very grateful for all their efforts in doing that, as well as their care and sensitivity towards my daughter. 

“I would encourage any child or woman who is suffering to reach out for help; get in touch with the PSNI - they have a very caring and understanding team, because even in very difficult cases, like ours, justice can be found.”
Another one of Beckett’s victims who was 15 years old when she met him at the time has also released a short statement. She met Beckett in September 2018 at the Cadets, where he was a Leader at the time.

She says: “This crime has affected me and continues to do so to this day. Emotionally I struggle greatly with being made to feel so degraded by someone I thought I could trust as a child. My mind and body have been in a constant state of anxiety, you almost go into survival mode. The conclusion of this case after years of him refusing to admit what he did to me will be a welcome respite from living with the reoccurring nightmares of the abuse he subjected me to.”