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A former service sergeant has been given six months in custody for committing sexual assault against a young gunner who later died by suicide.

Sergeant Major the former sergeant, in his forties, pinned down Royal Artillery Gunner the young woman and attempted to make physical contact in July 2021. She was discovered deceased several months after in her barracks at Larkhill military installation.

The convicted individual, who was sentenced at the Court Martial Centre in the Wiltshire region earlier, will be sent to a public jail and listed on sex offenders register for seven years.

Gunner Beck's mother Leighann Mcready stated: "His actions, and how the armed forces neglected to defend our child following the incident, resulted in her suicide."

Official Reaction

The military leadership said it did not listen to Gunner Beck, who was hailing from Oxen Park in Cumbria, when she reported the assault and has expressed regret for its handling of her report.

Subsequent to an inquest into the soldier's suicide, the defendant admitted to one count of physical violation in the autumn.

The mother commented her child should have been sitting with her loved ones in court now, "to see the individual she accused held accountable for his actions."

"Instead, we are present missing her, enduring endless sorrow that no family should ever have to face," she added.

"She complied with procedures, but those responsible neglected their responsibilities. Such negligence broke our young woman completely."

Press Association

Legal Hearing

The court was informed that the violation occurred during an field exercise at the training location, near Hampshire's Emsworth, in July 2021.

The sergeant, a Sergeant Major at the time, made a sexual advance towards Gunner Beck following an alcohol consumption while on duty for a military exercise.

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

She filed a complaint against Webber subsequent to the violation, notwithstanding efforts by military leadership to persuade her not to.

An inquest into her passing found the military's management of the allegations played "a significant contributory part in her suicide."

Mother's Testimony

In a account shared to the judicial body previously, the parent, expressed: "Our daughter had just turned 19 and will always be a youth full of life and laughter."

"She trusted authorities to protect her and following the assault, the faith was gone. She was extremely troubled and scared of the accused."

"I observed the difference firsthand. She felt vulnerable and abandoned. That incident broke her confidence in the structure that was meant to look after her."

Sentencing Remarks

While delivering judgment, Judge Advocate General Alan Large said: "We must evaluate whether it can be handled in another way. We do not consider it can."

"We are satisfied the gravity of the crime means it can only be addressed by prison time."

He told Webber: "She had the strength and intelligence to tell you to stop and directed you to leave the area, but you continued to the degree she considered she would remain in danger from you even when she returned to her personal quarters."

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

"Subsequent to the allegations, the command chose to deal with you with minimal consequences."

"You were interviewed and you accepted your behavior had been improper. You wrote a written apology."

"Your military service continued without interruption and you were subsequently advanced to senior position."

Further Details

At the inquest into the soldier's suicide, the investigating officer said military leadership influenced her to withdraw the complaint, and just informed it to a higher command "when the cat was already out of the bag."

At the period, Webber was given a "minimal consequence discussion" with no serious repercussions.

The inquiry was also told that just weeks after the assault Gunner Beck had further been subjected to "persistent mistreatment" by another soldier.

Another soldier, her commanding individual, transmitted to her over four thousand six hundred SMS communications declaring attachments for her, in addition to a 15-page "romantic narrative" detailing his "personal thoughts."

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Official Statement

The armed forces expressed it offered its "deepest sympathies" to Gunner Beck and her loved ones.

"We continue to be deeply apologetic for the deficiencies that were identified at the official inquiry in early this year."

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