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Family Snapshot

An ex- service sergeant has been sentenced to six months in jail for attacking a young gunner who afterwards took her own life.

Sergeant Major the former sergeant, 43, pinned down Royal Artillery Gunner the victim and sought to make physical contact in July 2021. She was found dead several months after in her military accommodation at the Wiltshire base.

Webber, who was given his punishment at the Court Martial Centre in the Wiltshire region previously, will be sent to a civilian prison and listed on offender database for a seven-year period.

Gunner Beck's mother Leighann Mcready remarked: "The assault, and how the military did not safeguard our daughter afterwards, led to her death."

Military Response

The Army stated it ignored Gunner Beck, who was hailing from Cumbria's Oxen Park, when she disclosed the incident and has expressed regret for its management of her complaint.

Subsequent to an inquest into the soldier's suicide, Webber admitted to the offense of sexual assault in the autumn.

The mother said her child ought to have been alongside her family in court now, "to see the man she reported held accountable for what he did."

"Conversely, we are present missing her, facing perpetual grief that no family should be forced to endure," she stated further.

"She adhered to protocols, but those responsible failed in their duties. Those failures shattered our child totally."

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Court Proceedings

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

The accused, a ranking soldier at the period, made a sexual advance towards the soldier subsequent to an social gathering while on deployment for a training exercise.

The victim claimed the sergeant said he had been "anticipating an opportunity for them to be by themselves" before grabbing her leg, pinning her down, and making unwanted advances.

She made official allegations against the sergeant following the violation, regardless of pressure by commanding officers to convince her against reporting.

An official inquiry into her passing found the Army's handling of the allegations played "a significant contributing factor in her death."

Parent's Account

In a testimony presented to the tribunal during proceedings, Ms McCready, expressed: "Our daughter had recently celebrated 19 and will eternally stay a young person full of life and laughter."

"She trusted authorities to safeguard her and following the assault, the faith was lost. She was extremely troubled and terrified of Michael Webber."

"I saw the transformation before my own eyes. She felt powerless and betrayed. That violation destroyed her faith in the structure that was intended to protect her."

Judge's Statement

While delivering judgment, Judge Advocate General the magistrate stated: "We must evaluate whether it can be addressed in another way. We do not consider it can."

"We conclude the seriousness of the offence means it can only be addressed by immediate custody."

He spoke to the convicted individual: "She had the strength and intelligence to instruct you to cease and told you to go to bed, but you carried on to the point she believed she could not feel secure from you despite the fact she retreated to her assigned barracks."

He continued: "The subsequent morning, she made the complaint to her family, her friends and her military superiors."

"After the complaint, the military unit chose to address your behavior with minor administrative action."

"You underwent questioning and you admitted your actions had been unacceptable. You composed a apology note."

"Your professional path advanced unimpeded and you were eventually elevated to senior position."

Further Details

At the inquest into the tragic passing, the official examiner said Capt James Hook put pressure on her to drop the allegations, and merely disclosed it to a military leadership "once details became known."

At the moment, the accused was given a "minimal consequence discussion" with no further consequences.

The inquest was further advised that just weeks after the violation Gunner Beck had further been subjected to "persistent mistreatment" by a different service member.

Bombardier Ryan Mason, her commanding individual, directed toward her over four thousand six hundred text messages confessing his feelings for her, accompanied by a multi-page "love story" describing his "imagined scenarios."

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Organizational Reaction

The armed forces expressed it extended its "sincerest condolences" to the soldier and her family.

"We continue to be profoundly sorry for the deficiencies that were identified at the formal investigation in early this year."

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