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Family Snapshot

An ex- service sergeant has been ordered to serve 180 days in jail for sexually assaulting a teenage servicewoman who subsequently ended her life.

Warrant Officer the former sergeant, 43, pinned down soldier Jaysley Beck and tried to kiss her in the summer of 2021. She was located without signs of life five months later in her barracks at Larkhill military installation.

The defendant, who was given his punishment at the legal proceedings in the Wiltshire region earlier, will be transferred to a public jail and listed on sex offenders register for multiple years.

The family matriarch Leighann Mcready remarked: "His actions, and how the armed forces did not safeguard our daughter following the incident, led to her death."

Military Response

The armed forces stated it did not listen to the soldier, who was hailing from Cumbria's Oxen Park, when she disclosed the incident and has apologised for its handling of her report.

Following an inquest into Gunner Beck's death, Webber admitted to a single charge of physical violation in the autumn.

The grieving parent stated her young woman could have been present with her family in the courtroom this day, "to observe the individual she reported brought to justice for his actions."

"Conversely, we appear missing her, enduring endless sorrow that no family should be forced to endure," she stated further.

"She followed the rules, but the accountable parties failed in their duties. These shortcomings destroyed our daughter totally."

PA

Legal Hearing

The judicial body was told that the violation happened during an military training at the training location, near Emsworth in Hampshire, in mid-2021.

The sergeant, a ranking soldier at the time, initiated inappropriate contact towards the servicewoman subsequent to an evening of drinking while on assignment for a training exercise.

The servicewoman stated the sergeant said he had been "seeking a chance for them to be alone" before making physical contact, holding her against her will, and attempting to force intimacy.

She made official allegations against the sergeant subsequent to the assault, despite attempts by superiors to discourage her.

An official inquiry into her suicide found the Army's handling of the report played "an important contributing factor in her demise."

Mother's Testimony

In a account presented to the judicial body during proceedings, the parent, expressed: "She had only become a teenager and will forever remain a teenager full of life and laughter."

"She had faith people to safeguard her and following the assault, the confidence was gone. She was very upset and fearful of the accused."

"I observed the transformation before my own eyes. She felt helpless and deceived. That violation shattered her faith in the system that was supposed to safeguard her."

Court Ruling

While delivering judgment, The presiding judge Alan Large remarked: "We must evaluate whether it can be dealt with in an alternative approach. We do not consider it can."

"We are satisfied the gravity of the offence means it can only be dealt with by incarceration."

He told the convicted individual: "The victim had the courage and good sense to tell you to stop and told you to retire for the night, but you carried on to the degree she believed she wouldn't be safe from you despite the fact she retreated to her own accommodation."

He stated further: "The subsequent morning, she disclosed the assault to her loved ones, her acquaintances and her military superiors."

"After the complaint, the unit decided to address your behavior with light disciplinary measures."

"You were subject to inquiry and you accepted your behavior had been unacceptable. You composed a written apology."

"Your professional path advanced without interruption and you were in due course advanced to senior position."

Additional Context

At the investigation into Gunner Beck's death, the official examiner said a commanding officer influenced her to withdraw the complaint, and merely disclosed it to a military leadership "when the cat was already out of the bag."

At the time, the sergeant was given a "light disciplinary meeting" with no further consequences.

The inquest was further advised that just weeks after the incident the soldier had also been exposed to "persistent mistreatment" by a different service member.

Bombardier Ryan Mason, her line manager, directed toward her numerous SMS communications declaring attachments for her, accompanied by a 15-page "romantic narrative" outlining his "personal thoughts."

Personal collection

Institutional Response

The armed forces expressed it provided its "deepest sympathies" to Gunner Beck and her relatives.

"We continue to be deeply apologetic for the shortcomings that were identified at the formal investigation in winter."

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