Ex- Sergeant Imprisoned for Sexual Offense on 19-Year-Old Soldier

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A former service sergeant has been ordered to serve half a year in prison for attacking a teenage servicewoman who afterwards took her own life.

Warrant Officer Michael Webber, forty-three, pinned down Royal Artillery Gunner Jaysley Beck and tried to make physical contact in mid-2021. She was found dead five months later in her quarters at the Wiltshire base.

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

The family matriarch Leighann Mcready stated: "What he [Webber] did, and how the military neglected to defend our child following the incident, cost Jaysley her life."

Military Response

The Army stated it ignored Gunner Beck, who was hailing from the Cumbrian village, when she reported the assault and has apologised for its handling of her report.

Following an investigation of Gunner Beck's death, the defendant pleaded guilty to one count of sexual assault in last fall.

The mother said her daughter ought to have been alongside her family in the courtroom this day, "to observe the man she reported held accountable for his actions."

"Rather, we are present without her, facing perpetual grief that no relatives should ever experience," she stated further.

"She complied with procedures, but the accountable parties neglected their responsibilities. These shortcomings destroyed our daughter utterly."

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Court Proceedings

The judicial body was advised that the assault occurred during an military training at the training location, near the Hampshire area, in mid-2021.

Webber, a senior officer at the moment, initiated inappropriate contact towards Gunner Beck subsequent to an evening of drinking while on assignment for a military exercise.

The servicewoman claimed Webber said he had been "anticipating an opportunity for them to be alone" before grabbing her leg, pinning her down, and trying to kiss her.

She made official allegations against the accused subsequent to the incident, notwithstanding efforts by superiors to discourage her.

An official inquiry into her suicide found the military's management of the report played "a significant contributory part in her suicide."

Parent's Account

In a testimony presented to the tribunal previously, Ms McCready, expressed: "She had recently celebrated a teenager and will eternally stay a teenager full of energy and happiness."

"She had faith authorities to safeguard her and post-incident, the faith was gone. She was extremely troubled and fearful of the accused."

"I saw the change firsthand. She felt powerless and betrayed. That assault destroyed her confidence in the set-up that was meant to protect her."

Judge's Statement

When announcing the verdict, The presiding judge the magistrate remarked: "We must evaluate whether it can be handled in a different manner. We are not convinced it can."

"We have determined the seriousness of the violation means it can only be resolved by immediate custody."

He told Webber: "The victim had the courage and good sense to instruct you to cease and directed you to retire for the night, but you persisted to the degree she believed she wouldn't be safe from you even when she retreated to her assigned barracks."

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

"Subsequent to the allegations, the unit chose to handle the situation with light disciplinary measures."

"You underwent questioning and you admitted your behavior had been unacceptable. You wrote a letter of apology."

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

Background Information

At the formal inquiry into the tragic passing, the investigating officer said Capt James Hook pressured her to drop the allegations, and merely disclosed it to a higher command "when the cat was already out of the bag."

At the period, Webber was given a "minor administrative action interview" with no serious repercussions.

The inquiry was further advised that only a short time after the assault the servicewoman had additionally been subjected to "continuous bullying" by another soldier.

Bombardier Ryan Mason, her line manager, sent her numerous text messages expressing emotions for her, accompanied by a fifteen-page "romantic narrative" outlining his "imagined scenarios."

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Organizational Reaction

The armed forces stated it provided its "sincerest condolences" to Gunner Beck and her relatives.

"We will always be sincerely regretful for the deficiencies that were noted at Jaysley's inquest in winter."

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