Ex- Sergeant Major Imprisoned for Sexual Assault on Young Soldier

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An ex- military sergeant has been given 180 days in custody for sexually assaulting a 19-year-old soldier who later ended her life.

Sergeant Major the former sergeant, in his forties, restrained Royal Artillery Gunner the victim and tried to make physical contact in July 2021. She was found dead five months later in her military accommodation at the Wiltshire base.

The defendant, who was judged at the Court Martial Centre in the Wiltshire region previously, will be sent to a correctional facility and on the offender database for multiple years.

Gunner Beck's mother Leighann Mcready commented: "The assault, and how the military did not safeguard our young woman afterwards, cost Jaysley her life."

Military Response

The armed forces said it failed to hear the soldier, who was a native of Cumbria's Oxen Park, when she disclosed the incident and has apologised for its response to her complaint.

Following an inquest into the soldier's suicide, the accused admitted to a single charge of unwanted sexual advance in last fall.

The mother commented her young woman could have been alongside her family in the courtroom today, "to witness the individual she reported brought to justice for the assault."

"Conversely, we appear missing her, enduring endless sorrow that no loved ones should ever have to face," she continued.

"She adhered to protocols, but those responsible neglected their responsibilities. Those failures broke our young woman completely."

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Legal Hearing

The court was advised that the violation took place during an military training at the training location, near Hampshire's Emsworth, in July 2021.

The sergeant, a Sergeant Major at the period, made a sexual advance towards Gunner Beck after an evening of drinking while on assignment for a field training.

The victim testified Webber said he had been "anticipating an opportunity for them to be by themselves" before making physical contact, restraining her, and attempting to force intimacy.

She reported the incident against the sergeant after the incident, notwithstanding efforts by military leadership to persuade her not to.

A formal investigation into her suicide found the armed forces' response of the report played "an important contributory part in her demise."

Mother's Testimony

In a statement shared to the tribunal earlier, Ms McCready, expressed: "Our daughter had just turned nineteen and will eternally stay a youth full of vitality and joy."

"She had faith individuals to safeguard her and following the assault, the confidence was gone. She was very upset and scared of Michael Webber."

"I observed the transformation firsthand. She felt powerless and betrayed. That incident destroyed her faith in the structure that was meant to look after her."

Judge's Statement

During sentencing, The presiding judge Alan Large remarked: "We must evaluate whether it can be dealt with in an alternative approach. We do not believe it can."

"We are satisfied the severity of the violation means it can only be resolved by prison time."

He told the defendant: "The victim had the courage and good sense to instruct you to cease and directed you to retire for the night, but you continued to the extent she believed she could not feel secure from you even when she retreated to her personal quarters."

He stated further: "The following day, she made the complaint to her loved ones, her friends and her chain of command."

"Following the report, the command opted to deal with you with light disciplinary measures."

"You were subject to inquiry and you accepted your conduct had been improper. You wrote a letter of apology."

"Your professional path advanced without interruption and you were eventually advanced to Warrant Officer 1."

Further Details

At the formal inquiry into the soldier's suicide, the official examiner said a commanding officer pressured her to cease proceedings, and merely disclosed it to a superior officers "when the cat was already out of the bag."

At the moment, the sergeant was given a "minor administrative action interview" with no additional penalties.

The inquest was further advised that just weeks after the incident the soldier had also been subjected to "relentless harassment" by a separate individual.

Bombardier Ryan Mason, her superior officer, transmitted to her more than 4,600 SMS communications confessing his feelings for her, along with a fifteen-page "love story" detailing his "personal thoughts."

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Institutional Response

The military leadership stated it extended its "sincerest condolences" to Gunner Beck and her relatives.

"We will always be sincerely regretful for the shortcomings that were noted at the formal investigation in February."

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