Sergeant who 'pinned down and tried to kiss' soldier, 19, who was found dead in base gives update on leaving army
A sergeant who allegedly 'pinned down and tried to kiss' a teenage soldier, who was later found dead at her barracks, has given an update on leaving the army.
In December 2021, Royal Artillery Gunner Jaysley Beck was found dead at the barracks of her army base in Wiltshire, UK, months after raising a complaint about the behaviour of a colleague.
The inquest heard how Gunner Beck had filed a complaint against Battery Sergeant Major Michael Webber in July 2021, after an adventure training exercise at Thorney Island, near Emsworth in Hampshire.
The 19-year-old also reportedly told a friend that 'something happened that night.'
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Her pal, Lance Bombardier Kirsty Davis said in the hearing: "[Webber] was trying to kiss her and she was trying to push him away, he was pinning her down."
"Jaysley had told him 'no', tried to get away from him but he had persisted so she left," she added.
Mr Webber received a minor sanction on his record for the complaint but the inquest heard crucial details of the offense had been omitted, leading to a 'miscommunication' on legal advice, the BBC reports.
Speaking at the hearing, Mr Webber said he had intended on leaving the army in April but declined to answer further questions about the alleged incident.
However, he did say that he had written a letter of apology to Gunner Beck and maintained what he had wrote in it was true, though declined to comment further.
When the coroner asked: "You will see in the letter you describe your behaviour as 'absolutely unacceptable' – what was your behaviour?", Mr Webber did not answer.
Despite the sanction, Mr Webber was promoted to Warrant Officer1 rank in May 2022.
Before her death, the teen claimed WO1 Webber told her that he had been 'waiting for a moment for them to be alone' and invited her into a drinking game called Last Man Standing.
It is then alleged the officer grabbed her leg and tried to kiss her.
Major Robert Ronz was then assigned to deal with the complaint, but told the inquest he felt the incident fell into 'minor sanction territory' at the time, and decided against a formal investigation.
During the hearing, he said he was 'unaware of any physical contact' due to the 'miscommunication' through the chain of command. Had he of know, he said the outcome of the punishment against Mr Webber might have been different.
UK Army policy states any offense of a sexual element must be referred for legal advice and investigated by the Military Service Police, while minor sanctions have a 'shelf life' of two years.
In Gunner Beck's case, the paper trail of the incident ends on the minor sanction, which cites 'inappropriate behaviour unbecoming of a warrant officer', as per the BBC.
A service inquiry report published in October 2023 described Gunner Beck had endured 'an intense period of unwelcome behaviour' and said it was 'almost certain this was a causal factor' in her passing.
The inquest also heard Gunner Beck received thousands of messages from another senior colleague, Bombardier Ryan Mason, who reportedly caused the teen to feel 'trapped' and 'not safe' at work, Sky News reports.
The youngster became 'freaked out' by her 'obsessive' and 'psychotic' boss' behaviour, during which she said she received 3,600 messages from him in one month alone before her death.
She was also worried he had hacked her cell phone.
The inquest further heard there are three more 'contributory factors' to her death, including the 'significant strain' of a relationship with a married colleague, an 'unfaithful' previous partnership and an 'unhealthy approach to alcohol' and 'binge-drinking'.
The hearing continues.
Topics: UK News, Military, Mental Health
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