🔗 Share this article Former Sergeant Sentenced for Sexual Offense on Young Servicewoman Family Snapshot Jaysley Beck was discovered dead in her barracks at Larkhill in the Wiltshire area on 15 December 2021 An ex- Army sergeant major has been sentenced to six months in jail for committing sexual assault against a young gunner who afterwards took her own life. Warrant Officer the former sergeant, in his forties, held down soldier Jaysley Beck and tried to kiss her in the summer of 2021. She was located without signs of life five months later in her barracks at Larkhill, Wiltshire. The convicted individual, who was given his punishment at the legal proceedings in Wiltshire recently, will be transferred to a public jail and registered as sex offenders register for multiple years. Gunner Beck's mother Ms. Mcready stated: "His actions, and how the Army neglected to defend our child following the incident, resulted in her suicide." Official Reaction The armed forces stated it ignored Gunner Beck, who was originally from Cumbria's Oxen Park, when she disclosed the incident and has apologised for its handling of her report. After an investigation of Gunner Beck's death, the accused confessed to a single charge of unwanted sexual advance in last fall. The mother commented her daughter could have been alongside her relatives in the courtroom today, "to observe the person she accused held accountable for the assault." "Conversely, we are present missing her, living a life sentence that no family should ever have to face," she continued. "She adhered to protocols, but the individuals in charge didn't follow theirs. Those failures broke our young woman totally." Press Association The victim's parent, Ms. McCready, said her child felt 'powerless and betrayed' Court Proceedings The court was advised that the violation occurred during an adventure training exercise at Thorney Island, near Hampshire's Emsworth, in summer 2021. The accused, a senior officer at the period, attempted physical intimacy towards the soldier subsequent to an evening of drinking while on deployment for a field training. Gunner Beck claimed the sergeant said he had been "waiting for a moment for them to be alone" before grabbing her leg, restraining her, and trying to kiss her. She reported the incident against the sergeant subsequent to the assault, despite attempts by commanding officers to convince her against reporting. A formal investigation into her passing found the Army's handling of the complaint played "an important contributory part in her demise." Mother's Testimony In a testimony shared to the judicial body during proceedings, Ms McCready, said: "The young woman had recently celebrated 19 and will eternally stay a young person full of vitality and joy." "She had faith people to defend her and post-incident, the confidence was lost. She was deeply distressed and scared of the accused." "I saw the change firsthand. She felt vulnerable and abandoned. That violation destroyed her trust in the structure that was meant to safeguard her." Judge's Statement While delivering judgment, The presiding judge the judge remarked: "We have to consider whether it can be addressed in an alternative approach. We do not consider it can." "We are satisfied the gravity of the crime means it can only be dealt with by incarceration." He addressed the defendant: "The servicewoman had the strength and intelligence to demand you halt and instructed you to retire for the night, but you continued to the point she considered she could not feel secure from you even when she went back to her own accommodation." He stated further: "The next morning, she made the complaint to her family, her companions and her chain of command." "Subsequent to the allegations, the unit chose to handle the situation with minor administrative action." "You underwent questioning and you acknowledged your conduct had been improper. You prepared a written apology." "Your military service proceeded without interruption and you were eventually elevated to senior position." Further Details At the formal inquiry into Gunner Beck's death, the investigating officer said Capt James Hook put pressure on her to cease proceedings, and only reported it to a superior officers "once details became known." At the time, the sergeant was given a "minimal consequence discussion" with no additional penalties. The investigation was additionally informed that only a short time after the incident the servicewoman had additionally been facing "relentless harassment" by another soldier. Bombardier Ryan Mason, her line manager, directed toward her more than 4,600 SMS communications expressing emotions for her, along with a 15-page "romantic narrative" describing his "fantasies about her." Family handout An official inquiry into Gunner Beck's death found the armed forces' response of her complaint played "an important role in her suicide" Institutional Response The military leadership said it extended its "deepest sympathies" to the servicewoman and her loved ones. "We will always be profoundly sorry for the failings that were discovered at Jaysley's inquest in February." "{The end of|The conclusion of|The completion