Mr Beckett from Kilmore in Crossgar is facing 29 charges of sex offences against teenage girls.
A former school welfare officer has denied raping a young girl while he was involved with the Army cadets.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.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.Mr Beckett also denied calling to her home when she was 14 or 15 years of age.
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".A Sinn Féin minister has defended his party’s handling of the case of a former press officer investigated for child sex offences.Minister outlines economy plan to address regional imbalances
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