A disgraced former Sergeant Major has confessed to sexually assaulting a teenage female soldier who later took her own life, leading to accusations of an Army ‘cover-up’.

Royal Artillery Gunner Jaysley Beck, 19, was found hanging in her room at Larkhill Camp, near Salisbury in Wiltshire, on December 15 2021.

The tragic death occurred after the soldier, Jaysley Beck, lodged a complaint against Battery Sergeant Major Michael Webber. She reported that he pinned her down and attempted to kiss her at a social event. These details came to light during an inquest in February of this year.

Now Webber, who was serving at the same base as a Battery Sergeant Major, has pleaded guilty to one count of sexual assault, at a pre-trial hearing.

Jaysley’s family has welcomed the guilty plea but said ‘nothing can undo the devastating loss of our beautiful daughter’.

In response to Webber’s guilty plea, the family’s lawyer criticized the military’s chain of command. They argued that the Army should have done more to thoroughly investigate Jaysley’s allegations.

The February inquest concluded that Jaysley Beck took her own life following her complaint against Webber. He was accused of forcibly pinning her down, attempting to kiss her, and improperly touching her during a work-related gathering.

Jaysley’s mother, Leighann McCready, later disclosed the difficulty she faced in gaining access to her daughter’s living quarters after her death. Upon eventually being allowed inside, she discovered a poignant letter hidden in the room.

Ms McCready has accused the Army over the circumstances surrounding Jaysley’s death, saying after February’s inquest: ‘I believe it was a cover up. It was made clear at this inquest that the army knew what had taken place but did not take Jaysley’s complaint seriously and even tried to get her to change her story.’

She subsequently told the Sunday Times how the letter from Webber, then 39, confessed to an incident on July 12 2021 and described his own behaviour as ‘absolutely unacceptable’.

He concluded by telling her, ‘My door will always open’ – a phrase which Ms McCready said her daughter found to be dismissive.

Gunner Beck had reported to military chiefs that Webber told her he had been ‘waiting for a moment for them to be alone’, engaged her in a drinking game called Last Man Standing before grabbing her leg and trying to kiss her.

February’s inquest she pushed him away and left the room before spending the night in her car and making a complaint to her superiors in the morning, during a stay at Thorney Island, near Emsworth, in Hampshire for an adventure training exercise.

Webber was later given a ‘minor administrative action interview’ over the work social event incident, with no further consequences.

He was later promoted to Warrant Officer 1 (WO1) rank, the highest non-commissioned rank in the Army, in May 2022.

Webber, who has since left the military, is now awaiting sentencing following his guilty plea last Friday. 

In a statement responding to his admission, Ms McCready said: ‘We are relieved that Michael Webber has admitted his guilt and not put us through the trauma of yet more legal proceedings, but nothing can undo the devastating loss of our beautiful daughter Jaysley.’

She described how her daughter had done ‘everything right’ in reporting the attack ‘immediately, not once but twice’ – but senior Army officers did not alert the police.

Ms McCready added: ‘If they had done that one simple thing, we believe with all our hearts she would still be with us today.’

The family’s lawyer Emma Norton said: ‘What an enormous difference it would have made if the Army and its chain of command had just listened to Jaysley when she first told them about the assault and reported it to the police, instead of trying to persuade her it wasn’t that serious.’

It was only after February’s inquest ruling and a request from Gunner Beck’s family to Wiltshire Police, that a file was sent to the the Service Prosecuting Authority who then charged Webber with sexual assault.

The coroner at the earlier hearing was told of Gnr Beck being traumatised not only by Webber’s attack but also the actions of three other officers – one of whom she had a long-distance affair, another who bombarded her with WhatsApp messages and another with whom she socialised on the night of her death.

In an Army statement following February’s inquest verdict, the head of Army Personnel Services Group, Brigadier Melissa Emmett, said: ‘On behalf of the Chief of the General Staff, I wish to extend the Army’s deepest condolences to Jaysley’s family and friends and to offer them our sincerest apologies for the failings that the Coroner has identified during this inquest.

‘We should have done so much more to support and protect her.

‘Jaysley was exactly the kind of person the Army needs, and she was excelling at her job. Her friends described her as someone who was kind, funny and always putting others before herself.

‘The three years since Jaysley’s sad death have seen significant changes in the Army, including the introduction of clear and unequivocal policies to state that there will be Zero Tolerance to unacceptable sexual behaviours.

‘These changes are being embedded throughout our culture, policies, and enduring practices across every part of the Army.

‘There is more work to do, and the evidence heard in this inquest reminds us how important it is to make lasting and effective change.

‘It is my hope that such change will give service personnel the confidence they need to report sexual offences and inappropriate behaviours, knowing that they will be listened to.

‘We are absolutely clear that everyone must play a role in building and upholding the respectful, professional environment we all need to thrive.’

The Daily Mail has asked the Army for further comment and response following Webber’s guilty plea and the grieving family’s criticisms. 

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