A former Army sergeant major has pleaded guilty to sexually assaulting a teenage female soldier who, according to a coroner’s inquest, was left so terrified by the incident and a subsequent mishandling of her complaint that it contributed to her death. The case has cast a harsh light on the military’s handling of sexual assault allegations and its failure to protect its own personnel.
Royal Artillery Gunner Jaysley Beck, who was just 19, was found dead in her barracks at Larkhill in Wiltshire on December 15, 2021. Her death followed an incident in which Battery Sergeant Major Michael Webber, her superior, pinned her down and attempted to kiss her at a work social event. Gunner Beck, who was described by her family as a brave and determined young woman, immediately reported the assault to her superiors, doing “everything right” in her mother’s words.
However, an inquest into her death held earlier this year revealed a devastating chain of command failure. The coroner found that the Army’s handling of her complaint played “more than a minimal contributory part in her death.” The inquest heard that Captain James Hook put pressure on Gunner Beck to drop the allegations. Crucially, the assault was never reported to the police. Instead, a subsequent “miscommunication” within the chain of command meant that the details of Webber’s attempt to put his hand between Gunner Beck’s legs were lost. The serious incident was downgraded and officially recorded as “inappropriate behaviour unbecoming of a warrant officer.” For his actions, BSM Webber was given only a “minor administrative action interview” with no further consequences.
Ex-sergeant: Royal Artillery Gunner Jaysley
Jaysley’s ordeal was compounded by relentless harassment from another soldier, Bombardier Ryan Mason, who was her line manager. The inquest heard that Mason sent her more than 4,600 text messages confessing his feelings for her, along with a deeply disturbing 15-page “love story” detailing his “fantasies about her.” These two separate but deeply unsettling incidents left the young soldier in a state of terror and distress, culminating in the tragic outcome.
In the aftermath of her daughter’s death, Gunner Beck’s mother, Leighann McCready, was unwavering in her pursuit of justice. Following the inquest in February, she and her family asked Wiltshire Police to consider criminal proceedings against Mr. Webber. The force complied, passing a file to the Service Prosecuting Authority in June, which led to Webber being formally charged with sexual assault.
In a pre-trial hearing last Friday, the legal proceedings culminated in a significant admission of guilt. Michael Webber, who has since left the Army, pleaded guilty to one count of sexual assault, Ex-sergeant sparing Jaysley’s family the trauma of a full trial. He is now awaiting sentencing.
Reacting to the news, Ms. McCready expressed her relief that Webber had “admitted his guilt and not put us through the trauma of yet more legal proceedings.” But she added, “nothing can undo the devastating loss of our beautiful daughter Jaysley.” She held the Army’s chain of command directly responsible, stating that had they reported the sexual assault to the police as they should have, “we believe with all our hearts she would still be with us today.”
The family’s solicitor, Emma Norton, echoed this sentiment. She called the guilty plea an “enormous relief” but questioned the initial response, stating, “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.”
For its part, the Army has issued a public apology to Gunner Beck’s family, admitting it “could have, and should have done more.” It claims to have since introduced a new “zero tolerance to unacceptable sexual behaviours” policy. However, for a family that did everything right, that apology came too late. The tragic case of Ex-sergeant Gunner Jaysley Beck remains a powerful and heartbreaking reminder of the profound consequences of institutional failure.
