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A former military sergeant has been sentenced to half a year in jail for sexually assaulting a teenage servicewoman who afterwards took her own life.

Sergeant Major the former sergeant, forty-three, held down service member the young woman and sought to kiss her in the summer of 2021. She was discovered deceased five months later in her military accommodation at Larkhill military installation.

The convicted individual, who was sentenced at the Court Martial Centre in Wiltshire earlier, will be transferred to a civilian prison and registered as sexual offenders list for multiple years.

The victim's mother the mother remarked: "What he [Webber] did, and how the armed forces did not safeguard our daughter afterwards, cost Jaysley her life."

Military Response

The military leadership acknowledged it failed to hear Gunner Beck, who was originally from Oxen Park in Cumbria, when she disclosed the incident and has said sorry for its handling of her report.

After an investigation of the soldier's suicide, the defendant confessed to one count of physical violation in last fall.

The mother said her young woman should have been sitting with her relatives in the courtroom now, "to see the man she filed against facing consequences for his actions."

"Instead, we are present in her absence, facing perpetual grief that no loved ones should ever have to face," she stated further.

"She adhered to protocols, but the individuals in charge didn't follow theirs. Those failures destroyed our daughter completely."

PA

Judicial Process

The judicial body was advised that the violation took place during an adventure training exercise at the exercise site, near the Hampshire area, in July 2021.

The sergeant, a Sergeant Major at the period, initiated inappropriate contact towards the servicewoman after an alcohol consumption while on assignment for a field training.

The servicewoman testified Webber remarked he had been "seeking a chance for them to be in private" before grabbing her leg, holding her against her will, and making unwanted advances.

She filed a complaint against the sergeant subsequent to the incident, regardless of pressure by superiors to convince her against reporting.

An official inquiry into her passing found the military's management of the complaint played "an important role in her suicide."

Family Statement

In a statement shared to the tribunal during proceedings, Ms McCready, stated: "Our daughter had recently celebrated a teenager and will always be a youth full of energy and happiness."

"She believed individuals to safeguard her and after what he did, the faith was lost. She was very upset and fearful of the accused."

"I witnessed the difference firsthand. She felt powerless and betrayed. That incident destroyed her confidence in the structure that was supposed to safeguard her."

Judge's Statement

When announcing the verdict, The judicial officer the magistrate stated: "We must evaluate whether it can be dealt with in another way. We do not consider it can."

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

He addressed the convicted individual: "She had the courage and good sense to demand you halt and instructed you to leave the area, but you persisted to the point she felt she could not feel secure from you even when she returned to her assigned barracks."

He stated further: "The following day, she disclosed the assault to her relatives, her acquaintances and her chain of command."

"After the complaint, the command chose to handle the situation with light disciplinary measures."

"You were subject to inquiry and you admitted your behavior had been improper. You wrote a written apology."

"Your career proceeded unimpeded and you were in due course promoted to Warrant Officer 1."

Further Details

At the inquest into Gunner Beck's death, the investigating officer said military leadership put pressure on her to withdraw the complaint, and only reported it to a military leadership "when the cat was already out of the bag."

At the moment, the accused was given a "light disciplinary meeting" with no serious repercussions.

The investigation was also told that only a short time after the assault the soldier had also been exposed to "relentless harassment" by a different service member.

A separate service member, her commanding individual, sent her numerous digital communications confessing his feelings for her, accompanied by a 15-page "love story" outlining his "personal thoughts."

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Official Statement

The military leadership stated it extended its "sincerest condolences" to the servicewoman and her relatives.

"We continue to be profoundly sorry for the failings that were identified at the official inquiry in winter."

"{The end of|The conclusion of|The completion