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A former service sergeant has been ordered to serve half a year in custody for attacking a young gunner who afterwards ended her life.

Sergeant Major the former sergeant, 43, restrained service member the young woman and attempted to kiss her in the summer of 2021. She was discovered deceased five months later in her military accommodation at Larkhill military installation.

Webber, who was judged at the Court Martial Centre in Wiltshire recently, will be sent to a correctional facility and on the sex offenders register for a seven-year period.

Gunner Beck's mother Ms. Mcready commented: "His actions, and how the Army did not safeguard our daughter following the incident, resulted in her suicide."

Army Statement

The Army said it did not listen to the servicewoman, who was originally from Oxen Park in Cumbria, when she filed the complaint and has apologised for its management of her complaint.

Following an inquest into Gunner Beck's death, Webber admitted to the offense of unwanted sexual advance in last fall.

The mother said her child could have been sitting with her relatives in the courtroom today, "to see the man she filed against brought to justice for what he did."

"Rather, we appear without her, facing perpetual grief that no relatives should be forced to endure," she added.

"She complied with procedures, but those responsible didn't follow theirs. Those failures destroyed our daughter totally."

PA

Judicial Process

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

The accused, a senior officer at the period, made a sexual advance towards the soldier after an alcohol consumption while on duty for a field training.

The servicewoman stated the sergeant remarked he had been "waiting for a moment for them to be by themselves" before grabbing her leg, restraining her, and making unwanted advances.

She filed a complaint against Webber following the violation, notwithstanding efforts by superiors to convince her against reporting.

An inquest into her suicide found the Army's handling of the allegations played "more than a minimal contributing factor in her demise."

Family Statement

In a account read out to the tribunal during proceedings, Ms McCready, expressed: "Our daughter had only become a teenager and will forever remain a young person full of life and laughter."

"She believed people to safeguard her and post-incident, the trust was lost. She was deeply distressed and scared of the sergeant."

"I witnessed the transformation before my own eyes. She felt powerless and betrayed. That violation broke her faith in the system that was supposed to look after her."

Judge's Statement

During sentencing, The presiding judge the magistrate said: "We need to assess whether it can be handled in a different manner. We do not consider it can."

"We conclude the severity of the offence means it can only be resolved by incarceration."

He told the convicted individual: "She had the courage and good sense to tell you to stop and told you to leave the area, but you continued to the point she considered she wouldn't be safe from you even when she retreated to her own accommodation."

He added: "The subsequent morning, she reported the incident to her loved ones, her companions and her commanding officers."

"Following the report, the command opted to deal with you with minimal consequences."

"You underwent questioning and you accepted your conduct had been improper. You composed a letter of apology."

"Your career advanced completely unaffected and you were eventually advanced to higher rank."

Background Information

At the investigation into the soldier's suicide, the coroner said a commanding officer pressured her to drop the allegations, and only reported it to a superior officers "after information had leaked."

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

The investigation was further advised that only a short time after the assault Gunner Beck had further been subjected to "continuous bullying" by a different service member.

A separate service member, her superior officer, sent her more than 4,600 digital communications expressing emotions for her, along with a 15-page "romantic narrative" detailing his "fantasies about her."

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Institutional Response

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

"We will always be sincerely regretful for the failings that were discovered at Jaysley's inquest in winter."

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