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An ex- Army sergeant major has been sentenced to half a year in custody for committing sexual assault against a young gunner who subsequently took her own life.

Warrant Officer Michael Webber, 43, pinned down soldier the victim and sought to kiss her in mid-2021. She was located without signs of life several months after in her barracks at the Wiltshire base.

Webber, who was sentenced at the legal proceedings in Wiltshire previously, will be sent to a public jail and on the offender database for multiple years.

Gunner Beck's mother the mother stated: "The assault, and how the Army neglected to defend our young woman subsequently, resulted in her suicide."

Army Statement

The armed forces stated it ignored the servicewoman, who was originally from Oxen Park in Cumbria, when she reported the assault and has apologised for its response to her report.

Subsequent to an inquest into the tragic death, the accused admitted to one count of sexual assault in the autumn.

Ms McCready commented her young woman could have been alongside her family in legal proceedings today, "to see the man she filed against facing consequences for the assault."

"Instead, we stand here in her absence, living a life sentence that no loved ones should be forced to endure," she continued.

"She adhered to protocols, but the accountable parties didn't follow theirs. Those failures shattered our child utterly."

PA

Judicial Process

The legal tribunal was informed that the incident took place during an adventure training exercise at the exercise site, near Hampshire's Emsworth, in July 2021.

The accused, a senior officer at the time, made a sexual advance towards the soldier subsequent to an evening of drinking while on deployment for a training exercise.

The victim claimed the accused remarked he had been "anticipating an opportunity for them to be by themselves" before taking hold of her, pinning her down, and attempting to force intimacy.

She made official allegations against the accused after the violation, regardless of pressure by commanding officers to discourage her.

An official inquiry into her suicide found the armed forces' response of the complaint played "a significant role in her suicide."

Mother's Testimony

In a statement shared to the judicial body during proceedings, the mother, stated: "Our daughter had only become 19 and will forever remain a youth full of energy and happiness."

"She believed people to safeguard her and following the assault, the confidence was lost. She was very upset and fearful of the accused."

"I saw the change firsthand. She felt vulnerable and abandoned. That assault shattered her trust in the system that was intended to safeguard her."

Court Ruling

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

"We have determined the gravity of the offence means it can only be addressed by incarceration."

He addressed Webber: "The victim had the bravery and wisdom to demand you halt and directed you to leave the area, but you persisted to the extent she felt she would remain in danger from you even if she went back to her own accommodation."

He added: "The following day, she made the complaint to her family, her companions and her commanding officers."

"Subsequent to the allegations, the unit chose to handle the situation with minimal consequences."

"You were subject to inquiry and you accepted your actions had been unacceptable. You composed a written apology."

"Your military service proceeded completely unaffected and you were subsequently advanced to Warrant Officer 1."

Additional Context

At the inquest into the tragic passing, the investigating officer said military leadership pressured her to drop the allegations, and only reported it to a military leadership "once details became known."

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

The investigation was additionally informed that mere weeks after the assault Gunner Beck had also been subjected to "persistent mistreatment" by a separate individual.

A separate service member, her commanding individual, transmitted to her more than 4,600 SMS communications expressing emotions for her, accompanied by a 15-page "love story" describing his "personal thoughts."

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Organizational Reaction

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

"We remain sincerely regretful for the deficiencies that were identified at Jaysley's inquest in February."

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