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An ex- military sergeant has been sentenced to 180 days in prison for committing sexual assault against a young gunner who later ended her life.

Sergeant Major Michael Webber, 43, restrained service member Jaysley Beck and sought to force a kiss on her in the summer of 2021. She was discovered deceased several months after in her barracks at Larkhill military installation.

Webber, who was judged at the military court in the Wiltshire region earlier, will be transferred to a public jail and on the offender database for multiple years.

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

Official Reaction

The Army stated it ignored Gunner Beck, who was hailing from Cumbria's Oxen Park, when she reported the assault and has expressed regret for its response to her complaint.

After a formal inquiry regarding Gunner Beck's death, the accused admitted to one count of physical violation in last fall.

The mother said her child ought to have been present with her loved ones in legal proceedings today, "to witness the man she filed against held accountable for his actions."

"Instead, we are present in her absence, living a life sentence that no loved ones should ever have to face," she continued.

"She adhered to protocols, but the individuals in charge didn't follow theirs. Those failures shattered our child totally."

PA

Court Proceedings

The court was told that the assault took place during an military training at Thorney Island, near Emsworth in Hampshire, in July 2021.

The sergeant, a Sergeant Major at the time, attempted physical intimacy towards the soldier following an social gathering while on assignment for a field training.

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

She reported the incident against the sergeant following the assault, regardless of pressure by superiors to convince her against reporting.

An inquest into her death found the Army's handling of the report played "an important role in her suicide."

Family Statement

In a testimony presented to the tribunal previously, Ms McCready, said: "She had only become 19 and will forever remain a young person full of vitality and joy."

"She had faith people to safeguard her and after what he did, the faith was lost. She was very upset and terrified of the accused."

"I witnessed the transformation before my own eyes. She felt powerless and betrayed. That violation broke her trust in the structure that was meant to look after her."

Sentencing Remarks

When announcing the verdict, Judge Advocate General Alan Large said: "We have to consider whether it can be addressed in another way. We do not consider it can."

"We conclude the seriousness of the violation means it can only be dealt with by immediate custody."

He spoke to Webber: "She had the strength and intelligence to tell you to stop and told you to leave the area, but you continued to the degree she believed she could not feel secure from you even when she went back to her own accommodation."

He added: "The subsequent morning, she reported the incident to her loved ones, her acquaintances and her commanding officers."

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

"You underwent questioning and you acknowledged your actions had been inappropriate. You composed a letter of apology."

"Your career continued without interruption and you were eventually advanced to higher rank."

Background Information

At the formal inquiry into the soldier's suicide, the investigating officer said a commanding officer put pressure on her to drop the allegations, and only reported it to a higher command "after information had leaked."

At the time, Webber was given a "minimal consequence discussion" with no additional penalties.

The investigation was additionally informed that mere weeks after the violation the servicewoman had additionally been subjected to "relentless harassment" by another soldier.

Another soldier, her line manager, directed toward her numerous digital communications confessing his feelings for her, along with a fifteen-page "personal account" detailing his "fantasies about her."

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Institutional Response

The military leadership stated it extended its "heartfelt apologies" to the soldier and her loved ones.

"We remain sincerely regretful for the deficiencies that were noted at the formal investigation in winter."

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