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Family Snapshot

A former Army sergeant major has been sentenced to six months in prison for sexually assaulting a 19-year-old soldier who afterwards ended her life.

Sergeant Major the former sergeant, in his forties, held down Royal Artillery Gunner Jaysley Beck and attempted to kiss her in the summer of 2021. She was found dead five months later in her barracks at Larkhill, Wiltshire.

The defendant, who was given his punishment at the Court Martial Centre in Wiltshire earlier, will be transferred to a correctional facility and registered as sexual offenders list for seven years.

The family matriarch Ms. Mcready commented: "His actions, and how the Army neglected to defend our child subsequently, resulted in her suicide."

Army Statement

The military leadership stated it did not listen to the servicewoman, who was hailing from Cumbria's Oxen Park, when she disclosed the incident and has said sorry for its handling of her allegations.

Following a formal inquiry regarding the tragic death, the defendant confessed to the offense of unwanted sexual advance in last fall.

The mother stated her young woman should have been sitting with her relatives in court this day, "to observe the man she filed against held accountable for his actions."

"Rather, we are present in her absence, facing perpetual grief that no loved ones should ever experience," she continued.

"She adhered to protocols, but the individuals in charge neglected their responsibilities. Those failures destroyed our daughter totally."

Press Association

Legal Hearing

The court was told that the incident happened during an military training at the exercise site, near Hampshire's Emsworth, in July 2021.

The sergeant, a senior officer at the time, initiated inappropriate contact towards Gunner Beck after an evening of drinking while on assignment for a field training.

Gunner Beck claimed the accused stated he had been "waiting for a moment for them to be in private" before grabbing her leg, restraining her, and trying to kiss her.

She filed a complaint against the accused subsequent to the incident, regardless of pressure by superiors to discourage her.

An inquest into her death found the military's management of the report played "an important contributing factor in her death."

Mother's Testimony

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

"She had faith people to defend her and post-incident, the confidence was lost. She was very upset and scared of the sergeant."

"I witnessed the difference before my own eyes. She felt helpless and deceived. That assault destroyed her trust in the set-up that was meant to safeguard her."

Court Ruling

When announcing the verdict, The presiding judge Alan Large remarked: "We need to assess whether it can be dealt with in an alternative approach. We are not convinced it can."

"We are satisfied the gravity of the violation means it can only be resolved by immediate custody."

He addressed Webber: "She had the strength and intelligence to tell you to stop and told you to retire for the night, but you continued to the extent she felt she would remain in danger from you even if she returned to her assigned barracks."

He stated further: "The following day, she made the complaint to her family, her companions and her commanding officers."

"Subsequent to the allegations, the unit chose to handle the situation with minor administrative action."

"You were interviewed and you acknowledged your behavior had been unacceptable. You composed a letter of apology."

"Your military service proceeded unimpeded and you were in due course elevated to higher rank."

Background Information

At the formal inquiry into Gunner Beck's death, the coroner said a commanding officer influenced her to cease proceedings, and merely disclosed it to a higher command "once details became known."

At the time, the sergeant was given a "light disciplinary meeting" with no serious repercussions.

The inquiry was further advised that mere weeks after the violation Gunner Beck had also been facing "continuous bullying" by a different service member.

Bombardier Ryan Mason, her line manager, sent her numerous text messages confessing his feelings for her, along with a fifteen-page "romantic narrative" outlining his "fantasies about her."

Personal collection

Official Statement

The Army stated it offered its "sincerest condolences" to the soldier and her relatives.

"We will always be deeply apologetic for the failings that were noted at the official inquiry in February."

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