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An ex- military sergeant has been sentenced to 180 days in custody for committing sexual assault against a teenage servicewoman who later died by suicide.

Sergeant Major the former sergeant, in his forties, restrained service member Jaysley Beck and tried to make physical contact in mid-2021. She was discovered deceased half a year following in her quarters at Larkhill, Wiltshire.

The defendant, who was sentenced at the legal proceedings in Wiltshire earlier, will be transferred to a civilian prison and registered as offender database for multiple years.

Gunner Beck's mother Leighann Mcready remarked: "His actions, and how the Army neglected to defend our child following the incident, cost Jaysley her life."

Military Response

The Army stated it did not listen to the servicewoman, who was hailing from the Cumbrian village, when she reported the assault and has expressed regret for its management of her complaint.

Following a formal inquiry regarding the soldier's suicide, the accused confessed to the offense of unwanted sexual advance in last fall.

The grieving parent said her child could have been present with her family in legal proceedings now, "to witness the individual she reported brought to justice for the assault."

"Rather, we appear missing her, living a life sentence that no relatives should ever have to face," she continued.

"She adhered to protocols, but the individuals in charge didn't follow theirs. Such negligence broke our young woman totally."

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Court Proceedings

The court was advised that the incident happened during an military training at the training location, near the Hampshire area, in mid-2021.

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

The victim stated Webber remarked he had been "anticipating an opportunity for them to be by themselves" before making physical contact, restraining her, and making unwanted advances.

She filed a complaint against the sergeant subsequent to the incident, despite attempts by commanding officers to convince her against reporting.

A formal investigation into her suicide found the Army's handling of the allegations played "more than a minimal contributory part in her death."

Parent's Account

In a testimony shared to the court during proceedings, the mother, expressed: "She had only become 19 and will always be a youth full of life and laughter."

"She had faith individuals to defend her and post-incident, the faith was gone. She was extremely troubled and scared of the accused."

"I observed the transformation before my own eyes. She felt vulnerable and abandoned. That assault broke her trust in the set-up that was intended to look after her."

Judge's Statement

During sentencing, The judicial officer the judge said: "We must evaluate whether it can be addressed in another way. We do not consider it can."

"We are satisfied the gravity of the offence means it can only be dealt with by immediate custody."

He told Webber: "The servicewoman had the bravery and wisdom to demand you halt and told you to leave the area, but you carried on to the extent she felt she wouldn't be safe from you even if she went back to her assigned barracks."

He stated further: "The following day, she reported the incident to her family, her companions and her chain of command."

"Following the report, the command opted to address your behavior with minor administrative action."

"You were interviewed and you admitted your conduct had been improper. You prepared a letter of apology."

"Your military service continued completely unaffected and you were subsequently advanced to higher rank."

Further Details

At the inquest into the soldier's suicide, the official examiner said a commanding officer pressured her to drop the allegations, and merely disclosed it to a superior officers "when the cat was already out of the bag."

At the period, Webber was given a "light disciplinary meeting" with no additional penalties.

The inquest was additionally informed that just weeks after the assault the servicewoman had additionally been subjected to "continuous bullying" by a separate individual.

A separate service member, her commanding individual, transmitted to her numerous SMS communications confessing his feelings for her, accompanied by a fifteen-page "love story" outlining his "personal thoughts."

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Organizational Reaction

The military leadership said it extended its "heartfelt apologies" to the soldier and her loved ones.

"We continue to be deeply apologetic for the shortcomings that were discovered at the formal investigation in winter."

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