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A former military sergeant has been given 180 days in prison for attacking a young gunner who afterwards ended her life.

Sergeant Major the former sergeant, forty-three, restrained soldier Jaysley Beck and tried to force a kiss on her in the summer of 2021. She was located without signs of life several months after in her barracks at the Wiltshire base.

The defendant, who was given his punishment at the Court Martial Centre in Wiltshire previously, will be placed in a civilian prison and registered as sexual offenders list for a seven-year period.

The family matriarch Leighann Mcready commented: "What he [Webber] did, and how the military failed to protect our child following the incident, led to her death."

Army Statement

The armed forces acknowledged it failed to hear the servicewoman, who was originally from Cumbria's Oxen Park, when she disclosed the incident and has apologised for its response to her complaint.

Following an investigation of the soldier's suicide, the defendant admitted to one count of sexual assault in the autumn.

The mother commented her child should have been alongside her family in the courtroom today, "to observe the individual she filed against facing consequences for the assault."

"Rather, we stand here in her absence, living a life sentence that no loved ones should ever have to face," she added.

"She complied with procedures, but those responsible neglected their responsibilities. Such negligence destroyed our daughter totally."

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Judicial Process

The court was told that the incident took place during an field exercise at the exercise site, near Emsworth in Hampshire, in July 2021.

The sergeant, a ranking soldier at the moment, initiated inappropriate contact towards the servicewoman following an evening of drinking while on assignment for a training exercise.

The servicewoman testified the accused said he had been "waiting for a moment for them to be in private" before taking hold of her, pinning her down, and attempting to force intimacy.

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

A formal investigation into her suicide found the Army's handling of the complaint played "an important contributory part in her death."

Mother's Testimony

In a statement presented to the judicial body earlier, the parent, expressed: "The young woman had only become a teenager and will always be a teenager full of life and laughter."

"She had faith authorities to defend her and post-incident, the faith was shattered. She was very upset and terrified of Michael Webber."

"I witnessed the change firsthand. She felt vulnerable and abandoned. That violation broke her faith in the structure that was meant to safeguard her."

Court Ruling

While delivering judgment, The judicial officer the judge said: "We have to consider whether it can be handled in a different manner. We do not consider it can."

"We have determined the severity of the crime means it can only be dealt with by immediate custody."

He spoke to Webber: "The victim had the bravery and wisdom to tell you to stop and told you to go to bed, but you continued to the degree she felt she would remain in danger from you even if she returned to her own accommodation."

He added: "The following day, she disclosed the assault to her relatives, her friends and her commanding officers."

"After the complaint, the military unit decided to handle the situation with light disciplinary measures."

"You underwent questioning and you accepted your conduct had been inappropriate. You prepared a written apology."

"Your military service advanced completely unaffected and you were subsequently advanced to senior position."

Additional Context

At the inquest into Gunner Beck's death, the coroner said a commanding officer influenced her to cease proceedings, and merely disclosed it to a military leadership "when the cat was already out of the bag."

At the moment, the sergeant was given a "light disciplinary meeting" with no further consequences.

The inquest was additionally informed that mere weeks after the violation Gunner Beck had additionally been facing "continuous bullying" by a separate individual.

Bombardier Ryan Mason, her commanding individual, sent her more than 4,600 SMS communications confessing his feelings for her, in addition to a 15-page "love story" outlining his "fantasies about her."

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Organizational Reaction

The military leadership stated it extended its "sincerest condolences" to Gunner Beck and her family.

"We continue to be profoundly sorry for the shortcomings that were noted at the formal investigation in early this year."

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