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Family Snapshot

An ex- Army sergeant major has been ordered to serve 180 days in prison for committing sexual assault against a young gunner who subsequently took her own life.

Warrant Officer Michael Webber, in his forties, pinned down service member the victim and sought to kiss her in mid-2021. She was located without signs of life half a year following in her military accommodation at the Wiltshire base.

The convicted individual, who was sentenced at the Court Martial Centre in the Wiltshire region previously, will be placed in a public jail and listed on sex offenders register for seven years.

The family matriarch Leighann Mcready commented: "What he [Webber] did, and how the military did not safeguard our child afterwards, cost Jaysley her life."

Official Reaction

The Army stated it failed to hear the servicewoman, who was hailing from Cumbria's Oxen Park, when she filed the complaint and has expressed regret for its response to her complaint.

Following an investigation of the soldier's suicide, the accused pleaded guilty to the offense of physical violation in last fall.

Ms McCready commented her young woman ought to have been present with her loved ones in court this day, "to witness the individual she accused facing consequences for his actions."

"Conversely, we stand here in her absence, enduring endless sorrow that no loved ones should ever experience," she continued.

"She followed the rules, but those responsible didn't follow theirs. Those failures shattered our child utterly."

Press Association

Legal Hearing

The judicial body was advised that the assault occurred during an field exercise at Thorney Island, near Emsworth in Hampshire, in July 2021.

The accused, a ranking soldier at the period, attempted physical intimacy towards the soldier subsequent to an alcohol consumption while on deployment for a field training.

Gunner Beck stated the accused stated he had been "anticipating an opportunity for them to be in private" before making physical contact, pinning her down, and trying to kiss her.

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

An inquest into her passing found the armed forces' response of the report played "a significant contributing factor in her death."

Family Statement

In a testimony read out to the court earlier, the mother, stated: "Our daughter had only become 19 and will eternally stay a teenager full of vitality and joy."

"She had faith individuals to defend her and post-incident, the faith was shattered. She was deeply distressed and terrified of the sergeant."

"I observed the change before my own eyes. She felt helpless and deceived. That violation destroyed her trust in the system that was supposed to safeguard her."

Judge's Statement

While delivering judgment, The presiding judge the judge remarked: "We need to assess whether it can be dealt with in an alternative approach. We do not consider it can."

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

He told the defendant: "She had the strength and intelligence to instruct you to cease and told you to retire for the night, but you carried on to the point she considered she would remain in danger from you even when she returned to her assigned barracks."

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

"Subsequent to the allegations, the command opted to deal with you with light disciplinary measures."

"You were interviewed and you admitted your behavior had been unacceptable. You wrote a apology note."

"Your military service proceeded completely unaffected and you were in due course promoted to higher rank."

Background Information

At the investigation into Gunner Beck's death, the coroner said military leadership put pressure on her to drop the allegations, and just informed it to a higher command "once details became known."

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

The investigation was further advised that just weeks after the incident Gunner Beck had also been subjected to "persistent mistreatment" by a separate individual.

Bombardier Ryan Mason, her line manager, directed toward her numerous SMS communications expressing emotions for her, along with a 15-page "love story" detailing his "imagined scenarios."

Family handout

Organizational Reaction

The armed forces said it extended its "heartfelt apologies" to the soldier and her family.

"We remain profoundly sorry for the failings that were discovered at Jaysley's inquest in early this year."

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