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A former Army sergeant major has been ordered to serve 180 days in custody for committing sexual assault against a 19-year-old soldier who afterwards died by suicide.

Warrant Officer Michael Webber, in his forties, held down Royal Artillery Gunner Jaysley Beck and tried to make physical contact in the summer of 2021. She was located without signs of life five months later in her barracks at the Wiltshire base.

The convicted individual, who was judged at the legal proceedings in Wiltshire earlier, will be transferred to a correctional facility and listed on sex offenders register for multiple years.

The victim's mother the mother commented: "His actions, and how the armed forces did not safeguard our daughter afterwards, resulted in her suicide."

Military Response

The military leadership stated it ignored the soldier, who was originally from the Cumbrian village, when she filed the complaint and has expressed regret for its management of her complaint.

Following a formal inquiry regarding the soldier's suicide, the accused admitted to the offense of sexual assault in September.

The mother said her young woman ought to have been sitting with her family in the courtroom now, "to witness the individual she accused facing consequences for his actions."

"Rather, we stand here missing her, enduring endless sorrow that no family should ever experience," she stated further.

"She followed the rules, but the individuals in charge neglected their responsibilities. These shortcomings destroyed our daughter utterly."

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Judicial Process

The court was informed that the incident happened during an adventure training exercise at Thorney Island, near the Hampshire area, in summer 2021.

Webber, a ranking soldier at the moment, initiated inappropriate contact towards the soldier following an alcohol consumption while on deployment for a military exercise.

The victim claimed the sergeant remarked he had been "waiting for a moment for them to be by themselves" before grabbing her leg, pinning her down, and making unwanted advances.

She filed a complaint against the sergeant after the violation, regardless of pressure by superiors to persuade her not to.

An inquest into her suicide found the Army's handling of the allegations played "an important role in her suicide."

Mother's Testimony

In a account read out to the court earlier, the parent, stated: "The young woman had recently celebrated 19 and will eternally stay a young person full of energy and happiness."

"She had faith people to protect her and post-incident, the trust was lost. She was very upset and terrified of the sergeant."

"I saw the difference firsthand. She felt vulnerable and abandoned. That assault shattered her faith in the system that was meant to protect her."

Court Ruling

During sentencing, Judge Advocate General the judge remarked: "We must evaluate whether it can be addressed in another way. We are not convinced it can."

"We conclude the gravity of the violation means it can only be resolved by immediate custody."

He told Webber: "She had the strength and intelligence to instruct you to cease and told you to go to bed, but you carried on to the degree she believed she could not feel secure from you despite the fact she retreated to her own accommodation."

He stated further: "The subsequent morning, she reported the incident to her relatives, her friends and her commanding officers."

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

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

"Your military service advanced unimpeded and you were eventually advanced to senior position."

Further Details

At the inquest into the soldier's suicide, the official examiner said military leadership put pressure on her to cease proceedings, and merely disclosed it to a higher command "once details became known."

At the moment, Webber was given a "minor administrative action interview" with no additional penalties.

The inquiry was further advised that just weeks after the violation the soldier had also been subjected to "continuous bullying" by another soldier.

Bombardier Ryan Mason, her commanding individual, directed toward her more than 4,600 text messages declaring attachments for her, along with a multi-page "romantic narrative" detailing his "imagined scenarios."

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Official Statement

The Army expressed it extended its "sincerest condolences" to the soldier and her loved ones.

"We will always be profoundly sorry for the deficiencies that were discovered at the formal investigation in February."

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