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Family Snapshot

A former military sergeant has been ordered to serve six months in custody for attacking a young gunner who afterwards ended her life.

Warrant Officer the former sergeant, in his forties, restrained soldier the young woman and tried to make physical contact in July 2021. She was located without signs of life half a year following in her quarters at Larkhill military installation.

Webber, who was given his punishment at the military court in Wiltshire earlier, will be placed in a correctional facility and listed on offender database for seven years.

The victim's mother Leighann Mcready commented: "His actions, and how the Army failed to protect our young woman afterwards, cost Jaysley her life."

Official Reaction

The Army stated it ignored Gunner Beck, who was originally from the Cumbrian village, when she reported the assault and has expressed regret for its response to her complaint.

Following an investigation of Gunner Beck's death, the defendant admitted to one count of unwanted sexual advance in the autumn.

The grieving parent said her young woman could have been sitting with her family in the courtroom now, "to witness the individual she accused held accountable for his actions."

"Rather, we stand here in her absence, living a life sentence that no relatives should ever have to face," she continued.

"She adhered to protocols, but those responsible failed in their duties. Those failures shattered our child utterly."

PA

Legal Hearing

The judicial body was told that the violation took place during an adventure training exercise at Thorney Island, near the Hampshire area, in summer 2021.

Webber, a Sergeant Major at the moment, attempted physical intimacy towards the servicewoman following an alcohol consumption while on deployment for a training exercise.

The victim claimed Webber said he had been "waiting for a moment for them to be in private" before taking hold of her, pinning her down, and attempting to force intimacy.

She reported the incident against the sergeant following the violation, despite attempts by commanding officers to discourage her.

A formal investigation into her passing found the armed forces' response of the report played "more than a minimal contributory part in her suicide."

Family Statement

In a testimony presented to the tribunal earlier, the parent, said: "Our daughter had recently celebrated 19 and will always be a teenager full of energy and happiness."

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

"I observed the change before my own eyes. She felt vulnerable and abandoned. That incident destroyed her confidence in the structure that was intended to look after her."

Court Ruling

While delivering judgment, The presiding judge the judge said: "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 addressed by prison time."

He told Webber: "The servicewoman had the strength and intelligence to demand you halt and instructed you to go to bed, but you carried on to the point she considered she wouldn't be safe from you even if she went back to her assigned barracks."

He added: "The subsequent morning, she reported the incident to her family, her friends and her military superiors."

"Subsequent to the allegations, the military unit opted to address your behavior with minor administrative action."

"You were interviewed and you acknowledged your actions had been improper. You wrote a written apology."

"Your military service proceeded without interruption and you were eventually elevated to higher rank."

Background Information

At the inquest into the soldier's suicide, the investigating officer said Capt James Hook influenced her to drop the allegations, and only reported it to a higher command "once details became known."

At the moment, the sergeant was given a "minimal consequence discussion" with no further consequences.

The inquest was additionally informed that just weeks after the incident the soldier had further been subjected to "continuous bullying" by a separate individual.

A separate service member, her line manager, sent her more than 4,600 text messages declaring attachments for her, along with a multi-page "romantic narrative" outlining his "imagined scenarios."

Personal collection

Institutional Response

The armed forces expressed it extended its "sincerest condolences" to the servicewoman and her family.

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

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