TWO senior Army officers have appeared in court over the death of a young soldier who took her own life after she was sexually assaulted by a superior.
Royal Artillery Gunner Jaysley Beck was discovered dead at Larkhill Camp in Wiltshire on December 15, 2021.
The 19-year-old had filed a complaint against Battery Sergeant Major Michael Webber in July 2021 after he pinned her down and tried to kiss her.
An inquest into her death found the Army‘s handling of the complaint played “more than a minimal contributory part in her death”.
Colonel Samantha Shepherd and Major James Hook appeared at the Military Court Centre at Catterick Garrison, in North Yorkshire today.
They both denied “conduct prejudicial to good order and service discipline”.
The allegations relate to how they handled information before Jaysley was found hanged in her barracks.
Shepherd pleaded not guilty to two charges of conduct prejudicial to good order and service discipline.
The first alleges that “on July 13, 2021, and thereafter, you did not report the commission of an alleged sexual assault to the service police in respect of a suspect within the regiment of which you were regimental colonel”.
The second claims that “on a date in July 2021, you misreported what you had been told by Jaysley Beck” to another person.
Hook pleaded not guilty to one charge of the same offence.
This alleges that “on July 13, 2021 you did not treat information passed to yourself by Jaysley Beck in a manner consistent with its seriousness”.
The judge was told Hook is serving with 29 Commando Regiment Royal Artillery and Shepherd, who appeared from the United States, is serving with the British Defence Staff in the country.
Both Hook and Shepherd will go on trial on September 14 but it has not yet been decided whether the five-day hearing will be at Catterick or at Bulford Camp in Wiltshire.
Webber, who has left the Army, has now been jailed for six months in October last year after he pleaded guilty to one count of sexual assault.
The ex-sergeant, who placed on the sex offenders’ register for seven years, will only serve three years in jail.
Jaysley’s mum Leighann McCready said after the sentencing: “The Army is clearly not a safe space for young women.”
The assault took place at an adventure training exercise at Thorney Island, near Emsworth in Hampshire.
Jaysley claimed Webber told her he was waiting for a moment for them to “be alone” then engaged her in a drinking game called Last Man Standing.
She said he then grabbed her leg and tried to kiss her – despite her begging no, the court was told.
Jaysley had filed a complaint but details of the offence were omitted and a “miscommunication” meant improper legal advice was given.
Nicholas Rheinberg, assistant coroner for Wiltshire and Swindon, previously ruled Jaysley died by suicide following Webber’s sex attack.
He also said the complaint “should have been reported to police and the failure to do so breached Army policy”.
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EVERY 90 minutes in the UK a life is lost to suicide
It doesn’t discriminate, touching the lives of people in every corner of society – from the homeless and unemployed to builders and doctors, reality stars and footballers.
It’s the biggest killer of people under the age of 35, more deadly than cancer and car crashes.
And men are three times more likely to take their own life than women.
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The inquest was told Webber received a minor sanction on his record but was still promoted to Warrant Officer 1 rank in May 2022.
He later wrote a letter of apology to Jaysley describing his behaviour as “absolutely unacceptable”.
The court also heard how Jaysley was also subjected to an “intense period of unwelcome behaviour” from Bombardier Ryan Mason.
She received thousands of messages from him and described him as being “psychotic and possessive”.
In November alone – the month before Jaysley’s death – she received 3,600 messages from her senior colleague.
The Army previously apologised to Jaysley’s family for “letting her down”.
It added: “We should have done so much more to support and protect her.”
If you are affected by any of the issues raised in this article, please call the Samaritans for free on 116123.
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