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Family Snapshot

An ex- service sergeant has been ordered to serve six months in jail for attacking a teenage servicewoman who afterwards took her own life.

Warrant Officer the former sergeant, 43, pinned down service member Jaysley Beck and sought to force a kiss on her in July 2021. She was found dead half a year following in her barracks at Larkhill, Wiltshire.

Webber, who was judged at the Court Martial Centre in Wiltshire recently, will be transferred to a public jail and on the sex offenders register for multiple years.

The family matriarch Leighann Mcready remarked: "The assault, and how the military failed to protect our young woman following the incident, cost Jaysley her life."

Army Statement

The Army said 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 management of her report.

Subsequent to an investigation of the soldier's suicide, the defendant pleaded guilty to the offense of sexual assault in September.

The grieving parent said her daughter could have been sitting with her relatives in the courtroom today, "to see the individual she reported facing consequences for what he did."

"Rather, we appear in her absence, facing perpetual grief that no family should ever have to face," she continued.

"She adhered to protocols, but the accountable parties neglected their responsibilities. These shortcomings shattered our child totally."

Press Association

Court Proceedings

The court was informed that the assault happened during an field exercise at Thorney Island, near Hampshire's Emsworth, in July 2021.

The sergeant, a senior officer at the time, initiated inappropriate contact towards the servicewoman subsequent to an social gathering while on assignment for a training exercise.

The servicewoman testified the accused stated he had been "waiting for a moment for them to be alone" before grabbing her leg, holding her against her will, and making unwanted advances.

She made official allegations against the sergeant after the incident, notwithstanding efforts by commanding officers to convince her against reporting.

An official inquiry into her death found the military's management of the complaint played "a significant contributing factor in her demise."

Parent's Account

In a testimony presented to the tribunal during proceedings, the parent, expressed: "She had recently celebrated a teenager and will always be a youth full of energy and happiness."

"She had faith people to safeguard her and following the assault, the faith was lost. She was deeply distressed and scared of Michael Webber."

"I observed the transformation personally. She felt vulnerable and abandoned. That assault shattered her confidence in the system that was intended to look after her."

Court Ruling

While delivering judgment, The presiding judge Alan Large remarked: "We have to consider whether it can be addressed in a different manner. We are not convinced it can."

"We have determined the gravity of the crime means it can only be dealt with by immediate custody."

He told the defendant: "The servicewoman had the courage and good sense to instruct you to cease and told you to go to bed, but you continued to the degree she felt she wouldn't be safe from you despite the fact she went back to her own accommodation."

He added: "The next morning, she made the complaint to her relatives, her acquaintances and her commanding officers."

"Subsequent to the allegations, the command chose to deal with you with minimal consequences."

"You were subject to inquiry and you admitted your actions had been inappropriate. You composed a apology note."

"Your professional path advanced completely unaffected and you were in due course advanced to Warrant Officer 1."

Background Information

At the inquest into the soldier's suicide, the official examiner said military leadership pressured her to drop the allegations, and only reported it to a military leadership "once details became known."

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

The inquest was additionally informed that mere weeks after the assault Gunner Beck had also been subjected to "relentless harassment" by a different service member.

A separate service member, her line manager, transmitted to her numerous digital communications confessing his feelings for her, in addition to a multi-page "romantic narrative" outlining his "personal thoughts."

Personal collection

Institutional Response

The Army stated it extended its "deepest sympathies" to Gunner Beck and her family.

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

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