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An ex- Army sergeant major has been sentenced to half a year in custody for sexually assaulting a teenage servicewoman who afterwards took her own life.

Warrant Officer Michael Webber, 43, pinned down soldier Jaysley Beck and attempted to force a kiss on her in July 2021. She was located without signs of life half a year following in her barracks at Larkhill military installation.

Webber, who was sentenced at the Court Martial Centre in Wiltshire previously, will be transferred to a public jail and listed on offender database for seven years.

The victim's mother the mother remarked: "What he [Webber] did, and how the military did not safeguard our child afterwards, led to her death."

Military Response

The armed forces acknowledged it failed to hear the soldier, who was a native of the Cumbrian village, when she reported the assault and has said sorry for its handling of her complaint.

Following an investigation of the tragic death, the defendant pleaded guilty to one count of sexual assault in the autumn.

Ms McCready stated her child could have been sitting with her family in court this day, "to see the person she reported held accountable for the assault."

"Rather, we appear missing her, facing perpetual grief that no relatives should be forced to endure," she added.

"She complied with procedures, but the individuals in charge neglected their responsibilities. Those failures destroyed our daughter totally."

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Judicial Process

The judicial body was told that the assault happened during an adventure training exercise at Thorney Island, near Emsworth in Hampshire, in July 2021.

The accused, a Sergeant Major at the time, made a sexual advance towards the soldier after an alcohol consumption while on assignment for a field training.

The victim stated the accused remarked he had been "seeking a chance for them to be alone" before taking hold of her, restraining her, and making unwanted advances.

She reported the incident against the sergeant after the incident, regardless of pressure by military leadership to persuade her not to.

A formal investigation into her passing found the armed forces' response of the allegations played "a significant role in her death."

Parent's Account

In a statement read out to the court earlier, Ms McCready, stated: "She had just turned a teenager and will eternally stay a young person full of energy and happiness."

"She trusted individuals to safeguard her and after what he did, the faith was gone. She was very upset and terrified of the accused."

"I witnessed the transformation firsthand. She felt powerless and betrayed. That assault shattered her faith in the set-up that was meant to protect her."

Court Ruling

During sentencing, Judge Advocate General the judge said: "We need to assess whether it can be addressed in another way. We do not consider it can."

"We have determined the gravity of the offence means it can only be dealt with by prison time."

He addressed Webber: "The victim had the courage and good sense to tell you to stop and told you to leave the area, but you persisted to the degree she believed she wouldn't be safe from you even if she went back to her personal quarters."

He stated further: "The next morning, she made the complaint to her relatives, her friends and her chain of command."

"After the complaint, the military unit decided to handle the situation with light disciplinary measures."

"You were interviewed and you admitted your behavior had been inappropriate. You wrote a apology note."

"Your career proceeded without interruption and you were subsequently promoted to higher rank."

Further Details

At the formal inquiry into the soldier's suicide, the coroner said military leadership influenced her to cease proceedings, and only reported it to a higher command "after information had leaked."

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

The investigation was additionally informed that mere weeks after the incident Gunner Beck had also been facing "persistent mistreatment" by a separate individual.

Another soldier, her line manager, sent her over four thousand six hundred text messages declaring attachments for her, accompanied by a multi-page "love story" detailing his "imagined scenarios."

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Organizational Reaction

The armed forces stated it extended its "sincerest condolences" to the servicewoman and her loved ones.

"We remain deeply apologetic for the shortcomings that were discovered at Jaysley's inquest in February."

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