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An ex- Army sergeant major has been sentenced to 180 days in jail for sexually assaulting a young gunner who later took her own life.

Warrant Officer Michael Webber, 43, held down Royal Artillery Gunner the victim and tried to force a kiss on her in mid-2021. She was located without signs of life five months later in her quarters at Larkhill military installation.

Webber, who was given his punishment at the Court Martial Centre in Wiltshire recently, will be placed in a correctional facility and listed on offender database for seven years.

Gunner Beck's mother the mother stated: "What he [Webber] did, and how the military neglected to defend our child afterwards, resulted in her suicide."

Official Reaction

The armed forces stated it failed to hear the soldier, who was a native of Cumbria's Oxen Park, when she disclosed the incident and has said sorry for its management of her complaint.

After an investigation of Gunner Beck's death, the defendant pleaded guilty to the offense of sexual assault in the autumn.

The mother stated her young woman could have been sitting with her family in legal proceedings now, "to witness the man she accused brought to justice for his actions."

"Conversely, we are present in her absence, facing perpetual grief that no relatives should ever experience," she added.

"She complied with procedures, but the individuals in charge didn't follow theirs. These shortcomings shattered our child completely."

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Legal Hearing

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

The accused, a Sergeant Major at the moment, initiated inappropriate contact towards the soldier after an evening of drinking while on assignment for a military exercise.

The servicewoman claimed the sergeant said he had been "seeking a chance for them to be alone" before grabbing her leg, holding her against her will, and making unwanted advances.

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

A formal investigation into her death found the military's management of the complaint played "more than a minimal contributing factor in her demise."

Parent's Account

In a testimony read out to the tribunal during proceedings, Ms McCready, said: "The young woman had only become 19 and will eternally stay a youth full of energy and happiness."

"She trusted authorities to protect her and following the assault, the faith was lost. She was very upset and terrified of Michael Webber."

"I witnessed the change firsthand. She felt helpless and deceived. That incident shattered her confidence in the structure that was supposed to protect her."

Court Ruling

During sentencing, The judicial officer Alan Large said: "We have to consider whether it can be addressed in another way. We are not convinced it can."

"We are satisfied the seriousness of the offence means it can only be addressed by prison time."

He told the defendant: "She had the bravery and wisdom to demand you halt and instructed you to go to bed, but you continued to the extent she believed she wouldn't be safe from you even when she retreated to her assigned barracks."

He stated further: "The subsequent morning, she disclosed the assault to her loved ones, her friends and her commanding officers."

"Following the report, the military unit decided to handle the situation with light disciplinary measures."

"You underwent questioning and you accepted your actions had been inappropriate. You wrote a letter of apology."

"Your military service proceeded unimpeded and you were in due course advanced to higher rank."

Background Information

At the investigation into Gunner Beck's death, the coroner said Capt James Hook pressured her to withdraw the complaint, and only reported it to a military leadership "once details became known."

At the period, Webber was given a "light disciplinary meeting" with no further consequences.

The inquiry was additionally informed that only a short time after the incident Gunner Beck had further been subjected to "continuous bullying" by a different service member.

Another soldier, her commanding individual, sent her numerous digital communications expressing emotions for her, in addition to a fifteen-page "romantic narrative" describing his "personal thoughts."

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Institutional Response

The Army said it provided its "deepest sympathies" to the soldier and her relatives.

"We continue to be deeply apologetic for the deficiencies that were identified at Jaysley's inquest in February."

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