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Family Snapshot

A former military sergeant has been given six months in prison for sexually assaulting a young gunner who subsequently took her own life.

Sergeant Major the former sergeant, forty-three, restrained soldier the young woman and tried to kiss her in mid-2021. She was located without signs of life several months after in her barracks at Larkhill military installation.

The defendant, who was sentenced at the military court in Wiltshire previously, will be placed in a public jail and listed on offender database for a seven-year period.

The victim's mother Leighann Mcready stated: "What he [Webber] did, and how the military failed to protect our child afterwards, cost Jaysley her life."

Army Statement

The armed forces stated it ignored Gunner Beck, who was hailing from Cumbria's Oxen Park, when she disclosed the incident and has said sorry for its handling of her allegations.

Subsequent to a formal inquiry regarding Gunner Beck's death, the accused confessed to one count of physical violation in last fall.

The mother stated her young woman could have been sitting with her family in court now, "to witness the man she accused facing consequences for what he did."

"Conversely, we stand here without her, enduring endless sorrow that no family should ever experience," she continued.

"She complied with procedures, but those responsible didn't follow theirs. These shortcomings shattered our child utterly."

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Court Proceedings

The judicial body was informed that the assault took place during an military training at the exercise site, near Emsworth in Hampshire, in July 2021.

The accused, a Sergeant Major at the period, made a sexual advance towards the servicewoman after an alcohol consumption while on assignment for a field training.

The victim claimed the accused stated he had been "anticipating an opportunity for them to be alone" before grabbing her leg, pinning her down, and attempting to force intimacy.

She filed a complaint against the accused after the assault, notwithstanding efforts by superiors to convince her against reporting.

An inquest into her passing found the military's management of the allegations played "a significant contributory part in her death."

Mother's Testimony

In a statement presented to the judicial body previously, Ms McCready, expressed: "Our daughter had just turned nineteen and will eternally stay a teenager full of energy and happiness."

"She believed authorities to defend her and post-incident, the trust was gone. She was extremely troubled and terrified of Michael Webber."

"I witnessed the transformation personally. She felt helpless and deceived. That incident shattered her confidence in the structure that was meant to look after her."

Judge's Statement

When announcing the verdict, The judicial officer the magistrate remarked: "We must evaluate whether it can be handled in an alternative approach. We do not believe it can."

"We conclude the severity of the offence means it can only be dealt with by immediate custody."

He spoke to the convicted individual: "The servicewoman had the strength and intelligence to tell you to stop and directed you to leave the area, but you persisted to the extent she considered she wouldn't be safe from you despite the fact she went back to her own accommodation."

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

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

"You were interviewed and you admitted your behavior had been unacceptable. You composed a written apology."

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

Background Information

At the investigation into Gunner Beck's death, the investigating officer said military leadership influenced her to withdraw the complaint, and only reported it to a military leadership "after information had leaked."

At the moment, the sergeant was given a "minimal consequence discussion" with no further consequences.

The inquiry was additionally informed that only a short time after the incident the servicewoman had also been facing "relentless harassment" by a different service member.

Another soldier, her commanding individual, sent her more than 4,600 text messages expressing emotions for her, along with a fifteen-page "personal account" describing his "fantasies about her."

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Institutional Response

The Army expressed it extended its "deepest sympathies" to Gunner Beck and her family.

"We remain profoundly sorry for the deficiencies that were noted at the official inquiry in winter."

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