Ex-sergeant major admits sexually assaulting soldier who took her own life

A former Army Sergeant Major has pleaded guilty to sexually assaulting a teenage female soldier who took her own life after being left terrified by the incident.

Royal Artillery Gunner Jaysley Beck, who was 19, was found dead in her barracks at Larkhill in Wiltshire on 15 December 2021.

She had filed a complaint against Battery Sergeant Major Michael Webber after he pinned her down and tried to kiss her at a work social event.

An inquest into Gunner Beck’s death earlier this year determined the Army’s handling of the complaint played “more than a minimal contributory part in her death”.

Webber, who has since left the Army, pleaded guilty to one count of sexual assault at a pre-trial hearing last Friday. He is now awaiting sentencing.

In a statement, Gunner Beck’s mother, Leighann McCready, said: “We are relieved that Michael Webber has admitted his guilt and not put us through the trauma of yet more legal proceedings, but nothing can undo the devastating loss of our beautiful daughter Jaysley.”

Gunner Beck reported the assault, despite attempts by superiors to persuade her not to. Her mother said she had done “everything right”.

“She reported the assault immediately, not once but twice.”

She said the Army’s chain of command had failed her daughter by not reporting the sexual assault to the police.

“If they had done that one simple thing, we believe with all our hearts she would still be with us today,” she added.

At the inquest, the coroner said Capt James Hook put pressure on Gunner Beck to drop the allegations, and only reported it to a higher command “when the cat was already out of the bag”.

The inquest heard a subsequent “miscommunication” through the chain of command meant details of of Webber’s attempt to place his hand between Gunner Beck’s legs were lost.

Rather than being reported to the police the incident was recorded as “inappropriate behaviour unbecoming of a warrant officer”.

At the time, BSM Webber was given a “minor administrative action interview” with no further consequences.

Just weeks after the assault, the inquest heard that Gunner Beck had also been subjected to “relentless harassment” by another soldier.

Bombardier Ryan Mason, her line manager, sent her more than 4,600 text messages confessing his feeling for her, along with a 15 page “love story” detailing his “fantasies about her”.

Following the inquest in February, Gunner Beck’s family asked Wiltshire Police to consider criminal proceedings against Mr Webber.

In June, the force passed a file to the Service Prosecuting Authority who then confirmed that Mr Webber would be charged with the offence of sexual assault.

He pleaded guilty to the charge at a pre-trial hearing on Friday.

The Army has already apologised to Gunner Beck’s family for “letting her down”.

Following the inquest in February, it said: “We could have, and should have done more.”

The Army says it has now introduced clear and unequivocal policies to state there will be “zero tolerance to unacceptable sexual behaviours”.

Emma Norton, the solicitor acting on behalf of Gunner Beck’s family, said it was an enormous relief that the man who had sexually assaulted her had now pleaded guilty.

But she added: “What an enormous difference it would have made if the Army and its chain of command had just listened to Jaysley when she first told them about the assault and reported it to the police, instead of trying to persuade her it wasn’t that serious.”

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