A former senior non-commissioned officer in the Army has been sentenced to six months in prison for sexually assaulting a teenage soldier, who tragically took her own life months later. Warrant Officer Michael Webber, 43, pleaded guilty to the assault on Royal Artillery Gunner Jaysley Beck, 19, during a training exercise at Thorney Island, Hampshire, in July 2021.

The incident occurred during a drinking game called Last Man Standing, where Webber touched Gunner Beck's thigh and attempted to kiss her. Gunner Beck resisted his advances, pushing him away and ultimately spending the night locked in her car for safety. The following morning, she reported the incident to her superiors, but it was not escalated to the police. Webber later sent her a letter of apology.

Tragically, Gunner Beck was found hanged in her room at Larkhill Camp in Wiltshire on December 15, 2021, five months after the assault. An inquest into her death, held in February 2025, concluded that the Army's failure to take appropriate action contributed significantly to her death. Assistant Coroner Nicholas Rheinberg stated that the lack of proper response from the Army was a factor in the tragedy.

During the sentencing, Judge Large recounted Webber's actions, stating, "At some point in the early hours of July 13, you told Gunner Beck she was beautiful, you put your hand on the back of her head, you leant in to kiss her and you touched her thigh." He noted that Gunner Beck had the courage to tell Webber to stop, but he persisted, making her feel unsafe.

Prosecutor Commodore James Farrant explained that Gunner Beck had been subjected to inappropriate behaviour from senior personnel prior to her death. He revealed that she had hidden in toilets to avoid Webber and later locked herself in her car overnight. Following her report, Webber faced only minor administrative action, which included an interview and the letter of apology.

The court also heard that Gunner Beck had received numerous messages from another senior colleague, Bombardier Ryan Mason, which led to a harassment complaint from her family after her death. However, Wiltshire Police found insufficient evidence to support a criminal case against Mason or to refer Webber's incident to the Crown Prosecution Service.

Victim impact statements from Gunner Beck's family were read in court. Her mother, Leighann McCready, described her daughter as "very scared" after the incident and noted a significant change in her behaviour. "My bright, confident daughter became quiet and withdrawn," she said.

Ms McCready expressed her belief that the handling of the assault shattered Gunner Beck's faith in the system meant to protect her. Her father, Anthony Beck, expressed his disgust at the assault, stating, "Knowing that someone like him could sexually assault my baby makes me feel sick to my stomach."

The case has raised serious concerns about the treatment of sexual assault victims within the military and the adequacy of the response to such incidents.