Pupil breaks down during welfare officer trial
Neil Beckett pictured at a previous court appearance
- Published
A Lagan College pupil broke down in court as she recalled a school health and welfare officer touching her breasts, bottom and thighs.
The pupil told the court she 鈥渒ind of froze".
Neil Beckett, 43, of Kilmore near Crossgar in County Down is accused of 29 sex offences against teenage girls.
Appearing on trial before Belfast Crown Court, he denies all the charges against him.
Mr Beckett was working at Lagan College in south Belfast at the time of some of the alleged offences.
The charges span a decade鈥攂etween 2013 and 2023鈥攁nd involve 11 alleged victims, nine of whom were pupils at Lagan College.
Two other 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.
Among the charges against him is an allegation of rape by one of the Army cadet complainants.
'It was weird'
In court today, a pupil at Lagan College said 鈥渉e would hug me and have his arms tight".
"His arms were underneath my breast or at the side of my breast," she said.
鈥淚 could feel everything. His stomach pressed against me. His hands were on my lower back.鈥
When asked to explain where Mr Beckett鈥檚 hands were on the pupil, she said: 鈥淗e was rubbing his hands up and down, half way down to my bum."
The pupil said 鈥渋t was weird", adding: "You never see a teacher hug a student.鈥
The court heard Mr Beckett rubbed the pupil's thighs.
鈥淗e would go from my knee to the bottom of my skirt and put his fingers on the bottom of my skirt."
When asked how many times this happened, the pupil replied: 鈥淢aybe 10 times.鈥
'None of this happened'
Mr Beckett鈥檚 barrister put it to the pupil that 鈥淢r Beckett said none of this happened" and "he said he never hugged you鈥.
The pupil replied: 鈥淲ell, he did.鈥
The barrister replied 鈥渁re you making it up as you go along? To make this fit?", to which the pupil replied softly, 鈥渘o鈥.
The pupil described her struggle with her mental health and told the court that Mr Beckett 鈥渨as the only one who kind of listened鈥 but his hugs were 鈥渧ery close and uncomfortable鈥.
The pupil then broke down and asked to take a break.
The trial continues.