Teen soldier was sexually assaulted and harassed by male bosses before suicide

The mum of a teenage soldier who killed herself after being sexually assaulted and harassed by male bosses has said she ‘won’t stop fighting until meaningful action is taken’ to address the abuse of women in the Army.

Jaysley Beck, a 19-year-old Royal Artillery Gunner, was found hanged in her room at Larkhill Camp in Wiltshire on December 15, 2021.

Before her death, she complained to a friend that an older married colleague, Battery Sergeant Major Michael Webber, had ‘pinned’ her down during a stay at Thorney Island, near Emsworth in Hampshire, in July 2021.

He was said to have put his hand between her legs and tried to kiss her after ‘making a pass’ at the teenage soldier.

Jaysley had also been bombarded by her ‘possessive and psychotic’ line manager, Bombardier Ryan Mason, who professed his love for her in 4,600 WhatsApp messages sent in the space of two months.

Coroner Nicholas Rheinberg ruled that the Army’s failure to take action after Gunner Beck was harassed by Mr Mason contributed to her death.

He also ruled that ‘on the balance of probabilities’ she had been sexually assaulted by Mr Webber, and the Army’s failure to take appropriate action ‘more than minimally’ contributed to her death.

Brigadier Melissa Emmett has apologised on behalf of the Army to the family of teenage soldier Jaysley Beck, saying: ‘We should have done so much more to support and protect her.’

Speaking after Mr Rheinberg ruled Gunner Beck had died by suicide, her mother, Leighann McCready, said: ‘Jaysley was so much more than a soldier – she was our daughter, a sister to Emily and a friend to so many.

‘She was kind, caring and truly loved by everyone who knew her. She was full of life, bright and absolutely fantastic at her job.

‘Today, the Coroner has given his findings. They are extremely critical and he found that various Army failings in the handling of her report of sexual assault and in responding to the sexual harassment she was suffering, contributed to her death.

‘The Army has admitted that it let Jaysley down, and has apologised for its failings – but no apology will ever bring our daughter back.’

Describing how she felt, she added: ‘Disgusted, absolutely disgusted, on how the Army have failed our daughter.’

When asked who she blamed for her daughter’s death, Ms McCready said: ‘The Army.’

Ms McCready added: ‘I believe it was a cover-up and it’s been made clear through the findings that the Army have failed our daughter Jaysley.’

Addressing the Prime Minister, she went on: ‘This message is to Sir Keir Starmer and our Government – things need to change.

‘The Army cannot be allowed to investigate itself anymore when it comes to cases of sexual harassment, assault, bullying and abuse.

‘Too often, servicewomen and men don’t feel able to speak up out of fear of being victimised – and even when they do, the Army is left to investigate itself.

‘This cannot continue. There needs to be an independent body responsible for investigating those more serious cases, which is completely separate from the Army – only then can we ensure true accountability, real justice and genuine change.

‘The only comfort we have now is knowing that hundreds of people in the military have come forward, sharing their own experiences and seeking support.

‘No one should have to suffer in silence. There are independent sources of help available, and we urge anyone affected to reach out. You are not alone. Jaysley should still be here.

‘We won’t stop fighting until meaningful action is taken.’

Jaysley’s inquest has led to hundreds of women coming forward with stories of rape, abuse and harassment while serving in the military.

Harrowing social media posts describe how they have been pinned down by male officers or forced to cower in their rooms while men try to force their way inside.

One woman said: ‘I used to hold my breath in my room at night when they were trying the door, to make them think I was out.’

Another said: ‘I was coming back from the toilet one day when a bloke came out of the showers, pinned me against the wall. Dropped his towel and told me that he “knew exactly what I needed”.’

It prompted the head of the Army, General Sir Roly Walker, to write to senior officers condemning ‘shameful behaviour’, saying he was ‘disgusted’ by new allegations of sexual abuse, which does not match ‘our values and standards’.

The inquest heard Jaysley, who joined the Army at 16, slept in her car because she was so scared after Mr Webber ‘tried to force himself on her more than once, a few times’.

Mr Webber, then 39, and now at Warrant Officer 2 rank, was made subject to a ‘minor sanction’ after Jaysley made a complaint and he wrote her a letter of apology.

Her friend, Lance Bombardier Kirsty Davis, told the inquest: ‘Jaysley wasn’t happy with what had happened but if you are in the Army and a lower rank, no-one will believe you, especially against a higher rank.

‘She didn’t want to get into trouble or cause a drama.’

Mr Webber declined to answer questions at the inquest.

Mr Rheinberg said: ‘I find on the balance of probabilities that the complaint should not have been dealt with by minor administrative action, by following this route it breached Army policy as it was a sexual assault carried out on a 19-year-old Gunner by a middle-aged man of senior rank and was recorded merely as inappropriate behaviour unbecoming of a warrant officer.’

The coroner said former bombardier Mr Mason had sent 1,000 messages to Jaysley in October 2021 and 3,600 in November.

He said: ‘It’s difficult to imagine the extent of the adverse effect that this must have had on Jaysley, a very young woman with problems of her own.

‘Jaysley described the bombardier’s conduct as creepy and ultimately as frightening.’

He added: ‘For Jaysley, there was hardly a day that went by without continuous messaging.’

The inquest saw a draft text message which she had planned to send to ex-Bdr Mason which detailed how she felt ‘trapped in this whole situation’, which was ‘taking a huge toll’ on her mental health.

Mr Mason, who served in the Core Engagement Team (CET) with Jaysley but left in the same month as her death, denied that he had tried to ‘manipulate’ her by putting pressure on her by talking about his own mental health and suicide concerns.

The Army said Mr Mason’s actions amounted to ‘unwelcome sexual attention’ and ‘harassment’, the coroner said.

Its service inquiry report detailed three ‘contributory factors’ to Jaysley’s death, including the ‘significant strain’ of a sexual relationship with a married colleague in the last few weeks of her life; a relationship which ended in November 2021 which involved ‘repeated allegations of unfaithfulness on the part of the boyfriend’; and an ‘unhealthy approach to alcohol, with episodes of binge drinking’.

It added that she had no diagnosed mental health conditions and had not sought welfare support from anyone in the Army.

Brigadier Emmett apologised at the inquest to Gunner Beck’s family and said the force formally accepted failures were made.

Mr Rheinberg said that he would not be preparing a report to prevent future deaths as he had been ‘reassured’ by the Army, including from Brigadier Emmett’s evidence, that ‘matters are currently under review and revision’.

Emma Norton, the family’s solicitor, said: ‘It is hard to imagine a more critical set of conclusions from the coroner, who has today found that the multiple and extremely serious failings on the part of the Army in responding to Jaysley’s report of sexual assault and her experience of intolerable sexual harassment, contributed to her death.’

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