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An ex- Army sergeant major has been sentenced to six months in prison for sexually assaulting a young gunner who subsequently died by suicide.

Sergeant Major Michael Webber, 43, pinned down service member the young woman and tried to kiss her in July 2021. She was discovered deceased five months later in her barracks at Larkhill military installation.

The convicted individual, who was judged at the Court Martial Centre in Wiltshire previously, will be transferred to a correctional facility and registered as sex offenders register for multiple years.

Gunner Beck's mother Ms. Mcready stated: "The assault, and how the military did not safeguard our young woman subsequently, cost Jaysley her life."

Military Response

The Army stated it did not listen to the servicewoman, who was a native of Oxen Park in Cumbria, when she disclosed the incident and has apologised for its management of her complaint.

Following an inquest into Gunner Beck's death, the defendant confessed to one count of sexual assault in the autumn.

The grieving parent commented her daughter could have been alongside her family in the courtroom now, "to witness the individual she filed against brought to justice for his actions."

"Conversely, we stand here missing her, living a life sentence that no loved ones should ever have to face," she stated further.

"She followed the rules, but the individuals in charge failed in their duties. Those failures broke our young woman totally."

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Judicial Process

The judicial body was advised that the violation occurred during an military training at the training location, near Hampshire's Emsworth, in July 2021.

Webber, a Sergeant Major at the period, made a sexual advance towards the soldier following an alcohol consumption while on assignment for a field training.

The victim testified the accused stated he had been "waiting for a moment for them to be alone" before grabbing her leg, pinning her down, and making unwanted advances.

She reported the incident against the sergeant after the assault, despite attempts by commanding officers to discourage her.

An inquest into her suicide found the armed forces' response of the complaint played "a significant contributory part in her demise."

Parent's Account

In a statement read out to the tribunal earlier, Ms McCready, said: "Our daughter had only become nineteen and will eternally stay a teenager full of energy and happiness."

"She trusted authorities to safeguard her and post-incident, the faith was lost. She was deeply distressed and terrified of the sergeant."

"I observed the difference firsthand. She felt vulnerable and abandoned. That violation broke her faith in the system that was supposed to look after her."

Judge's Statement

During sentencing, The presiding judge the judge remarked: "We need to assess whether it can be dealt with in another way. We do not consider it can."

"We are satisfied the gravity of the crime means it can only be resolved by immediate custody."

He told the convicted individual: "She had the courage and good sense to instruct you to cease and instructed you to leave the area, but you persisted to the point she considered she would remain in danger from you despite the fact she went back to her personal quarters."

He added: "The following day, she disclosed the assault to her relatives, her companions and her chain of command."

"Following the report, the command opted to address your behavior with light disciplinary measures."

"You were interviewed and you admitted your behavior had been improper. You prepared a apology note."

"Your professional path advanced without interruption and you were eventually elevated to Warrant Officer 1."

Background Information

At the formal inquiry into the soldier's suicide, the coroner said military leadership influenced her to withdraw the complaint, and just informed it to a higher command "once details became known."

At the time, Webber was given a "minimal consequence discussion" with no additional penalties.

The inquest was also told that just weeks after the violation the soldier had additionally been facing "persistent mistreatment" by a separate individual.

Another soldier, her commanding individual, directed toward her numerous SMS communications confessing his feelings for her, accompanied by a multi-page "love story" describing his "imagined scenarios."

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Institutional Response

The armed forces said it offered its "sincerest condolences" to the servicewoman and her family.

"We remain deeply apologetic for the failings that were noted at the formal investigation in February."

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