A former school welfare officer and Army cadet leader has been found guilty of sexually assaulting teenage girls.

Neil Beckett, 43, with an address at Kilmore, near Crossgar in County Down, was told by the judge that from “this moment on, you are a registered sex offender”.

Beckett was found guilty of 16 counts of sexual assault and one count of sexual grooming.

They span a period of eight years between 2015 and 2023.

Eleven teenagers had brought charges against Beckett.

Nine were Lagan College pupils and two were Army cadets.

Beckett was found not guilty of rape which was alleged to have taken place sometime between 2013 and 2015 while he was an Army cadet leader.

He was also found not guilty of sexual communication with a child and 10 further counts of sexual assault.

During the trial, which spanned five weeks, the court heard from Lagan College pupils and Army cadets who said that Beckett had hugged them, kissed them, touched their thighs under the girls’ skirts and tickled them.

In doing so he had made them feel uncomfortable, the court was told.

The judge thanked the jury for their commitment over what he described as a long trial and said they had taken great care and attention with their duties.

Beckett will be sentenced on 6 December.