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A former Army sergeant major has been sentenced to 180 days in jail for attacking a teenage servicewoman who later took her own life.

Sergeant Major the former sergeant, 43, restrained service member the young woman and tried to force a kiss on her in mid-2021. She was discovered deceased half a year following in her military accommodation at the Wiltshire base.

Webber, who was given his punishment at the legal proceedings in the Wiltshire region earlier, will be sent to a correctional facility and listed on sex offenders register for seven years.

The victim's mother Leighann Mcready remarked: "The assault, and how the Army neglected to defend our daughter afterwards, cost Jaysley her life."

Army Statement

The military leadership stated it did not listen to the soldier, who was originally from the Cumbrian village, when she reported the assault and has apologised for its response to her complaint.

After an inquest into Gunner Beck's death, the defendant confessed to one count of sexual assault in last fall.

The grieving parent commented her daughter ought to have been present with her family in the courtroom now, "to observe the person she reported facing consequences for what he did."

"Conversely, we stand here without her, facing perpetual grief that no loved ones should be forced to endure," she stated further.

"She followed the rules, but the individuals in charge neglected their responsibilities. Those failures shattered our child completely."

PA

Legal Hearing

The legal tribunal was told that the violation happened during an adventure training exercise at Thorney Island, near the Hampshire area, in mid-2021.

The sergeant, a Sergeant Major at the period, made a sexual advance towards Gunner Beck after an alcohol consumption while on deployment for a field training.

Gunner Beck stated Webber remarked he had been "seeking a chance for them to be alone" before grabbing her leg, pinning her down, and making unwanted advances.

She filed a complaint against the sergeant after the incident, despite attempts by superiors to convince her against reporting.

An inquest into her passing found the Army's handling of the allegations played "a significant contributing factor in her death."

Mother's Testimony

In a statement presented to the tribunal earlier, the mother, expressed: "The young woman had recently celebrated a teenager and will always be a young person full of energy and happiness."

"She believed individuals to protect her and after what he did, the trust was shattered. She was deeply distressed and terrified of Michael Webber."

"I observed the change firsthand. She felt powerless and betrayed. That assault destroyed her confidence in the system that was meant to protect her."

Judge's Statement

During sentencing, The presiding judge the judge said: "We need to assess whether it can be dealt with in a different manner. We do not believe it can."

"We conclude the gravity of the violation means it can only be addressed by incarceration."

He told the defendant: "The victim had the strength and intelligence to demand you halt and directed you to go to bed, but you persisted to the extent she felt she could not feel secure from you even when she returned to her assigned barracks."

He stated further: "The next morning, she made the complaint to her loved ones, her companions and her military superiors."

"After the complaint, the military unit opted to deal with you with light disciplinary measures."

"You underwent questioning and you acknowledged your conduct had been unacceptable. You wrote a apology note."

"Your professional path continued without interruption and you were in due course elevated to higher rank."

Additional Context

At the investigation into the soldier's suicide, the investigating officer said a commanding officer put pressure on her to drop the allegations, and merely disclosed it to a military leadership "once details became known."

At the time, the sergeant was given a "minimal consequence discussion" with no serious repercussions.

The investigation was also told that mere weeks after the violation the soldier had also been facing "continuous bullying" by a different service member.

A separate service member, her line manager, directed toward her numerous text messages expressing emotions for her, in addition to a fifteen-page "personal account" outlining his "fantasies about her."

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Official Statement

The Army said it provided its "heartfelt apologies" to Gunner Beck and her loved ones.

"We will always be deeply apologetic for the shortcomings that were identified at the formal investigation in winter."

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