Army mishandled sex assault before soldier's death, coroner says

The suicide of a soldier left terrified after being sexually assaulted by her superior was, in part, caused by the British Army's handling of her complaint, a coroner says.

Royal Artillery Gunner Jaysley Beck, 19, was found hanged in her barracks at Larkhill Camp in Wiltshire on 15 December 2021 after a Christmas party.

Gunner Beck had filed a complaint against Battery Sergeant Major Michael Webber after he "pinned her down" and tried to kiss her at a work social.

On Friday, Assistant Coroner Nicholas Rheinberg determined the Army's handling of the complaint played "more than a minimal contributory part in her death".

The incident in question occurred at an adventure training exercise at Thorney Island, near Emsworth in Hampshire, in July 2021.

The work gathering extended into the early hours of the morning until Gunner Beck, originally from Oxen Park in Cumbria, and Mr Webber were left drinking together alone.

Gunner Beck claimed WO1 Webber told her he had been "waiting for a moment for them to be alone", had engaged her in a drinking game called Last Man Standing before grabbing her leg and trying to kiss her.

Shortly after, Gunner Beck called her friend Lance Bombardier Kirsty Davis, "frightened and in tears" because "someone tried it on with her", the inquest was told.

She had hidden in a toilet cubicle with her feet up, before spending the remainder of the night in her car on the phone to Ms Davis out of fear he would come to find her.

The following morning, Gunner Beck filed a complaint with her superiors.

However, the inquest was told there had been a "miscommunication" through the chain of command, and details concerning Mr Webber's attempt to touch Gunner Beck's leg had been lost.

The inquest heard it therefore fell into minor sanction territory and required no formal investigation.

Instead, it was recorded merely as "inappropriate behaviour unbecoming of a warrant officer".

"It was not clear how this important component was left out of the mix," the coroner said.

Mr Rheinberg determined the conduct of BSM Webber "should have been reported to police and the failure to do so breached Army policy".

The inquest heard the 19-year-old had also been subjected to relentless harassment from her line manager, Bombardier Ryan Mason.

Gunner Beck tried to support him through his mental health issues, but he grew "possessive and jealous", manipulating her into staying close with threats of suicide.

In the two months leading up to her death, Bombardier Ryan Mason sent the 19-year-old more than 4,600 messages confessing his feelings for her.

Gunner Beck's ex-boyfriend, George Higgins, said Mr Mason had also shown her a 15-page "love story" he had written, detailing his "fantasies about her".

In a Whatsapp message, she said: "I genuinely feel trapped in this whole situation.

"I'm trying to be there for you as a friend but it completely crossed the line of that a long time ago. I feel so uncomfortable. The truth is, I'm struggling to deal with all this."

Mr Rheinberg 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.

"Rightly or wrongly she felt he was tracking her by her phone, the bombardier denied this and I find it unlikely."