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A former service sergeant has been sentenced to six months in custody for committing sexual assault against a 19-year-old soldier who afterwards died by suicide.

Sergeant Major the former sergeant, in his forties, held down Royal Artillery Gunner the young woman and tried to kiss her in the summer of 2021. She was found dead half a year following in her barracks at Larkhill, Wiltshire.

Webber, who was given his punishment at the legal proceedings in Wiltshire recently, will be placed in a correctional facility and registered as sexual offenders list for multiple years.

Gunner Beck's mother the mother stated: "What he [Webber] did, and how the armed forces did not safeguard our child subsequently, resulted in her suicide."

Official Reaction

The Army acknowledged it did not listen to Gunner Beck, who was a native of the Cumbrian village, when she filed the complaint and has expressed regret for its handling of her report.

Subsequent to an investigation of the soldier's suicide, Webber pleaded guilty to a single charge of sexual assault in the autumn.

The mother said her young woman could have been sitting with her relatives in court today, "to observe the individual she reported brought to justice for his actions."

"Rather, we appear without her, living a life sentence that no loved ones should ever experience," she continued.

"She complied with procedures, but those responsible failed in their duties. Such negligence shattered our child utterly."

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Court Proceedings

The judicial body was advised that the assault took place during an adventure training exercise at the exercise site, near Hampshire's Emsworth, in mid-2021.

The accused, a ranking soldier at the moment, attempted physical intimacy towards the servicewoman subsequent to an social gathering while on duty for a field training.

The servicewoman testified the sergeant said he had been "waiting for a moment for them to be in private" before making physical contact, restraining her, and making unwanted advances.

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

A formal investigation into her passing found the military's management of the report played "more than a minimal role in her death."

Family Statement

In a account presented to the tribunal previously, Ms McCready, expressed: "Our daughter had recently celebrated a teenager and will forever remain a teenager full of life and laughter."

"She had faith individuals to safeguard her and following the assault, the confidence was shattered. She was extremely troubled and scared of Michael Webber."

"I witnessed the difference firsthand. She felt vulnerable and abandoned. That assault destroyed her faith in the structure that was supposed to protect her."

Judge's Statement

During sentencing, Judge Advocate General Alan Large remarked: "We need to assess whether it can be handled in another way. We are not convinced it can."

"We conclude the gravity of the offence means it can only be addressed by prison time."

He spoke to Webber: "The servicewoman had the bravery and wisdom to instruct you to cease and directed you to go to bed, but you carried on to the extent she considered she could not feel secure from you even when she returned to her own accommodation."

He added: "The following day, she reported the incident to her loved ones, her friends and her military superiors."

"After the complaint, the unit opted to address your behavior with light disciplinary measures."

"You were subject to inquiry and you accepted your conduct had been unacceptable. You wrote a apology note."

"Your professional path continued without interruption and you were eventually advanced to Warrant Officer 1."

Background Information

At the formal inquiry into Gunner Beck's death, the investigating officer said Capt James Hook influenced her to withdraw the complaint, and only reported it to a higher command "once details became known."

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

The inquiry was also told that only a short time after the incident the servicewoman had additionally been exposed to "continuous bullying" by another soldier.

A separate service member, her line manager, directed toward her more than 4,600 digital communications confessing his feelings for her, in addition to a fifteen-page "personal account" outlining his "imagined scenarios."

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Organizational Reaction

The military leadership said it provided its "sincerest condolences" to the soldier and her relatives.

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

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