Wiltshire, UK – A senior sergeant in the British Army accused of attempting to kiss and pin down a teenage soldier intends to leave the military, an inquest has heard.
Nineteen-year-old Royal Artillery Gunner Jaysley Beck was found dead in her barracks at Larkhill Camp, Wiltshire, on December 15, 2021.
Her death came shortly after she had filed a complaint against Battery Sergeant Major (BSM) Michael Webber, alleging inappropriate behaviour during a training exercise earlier that year.
The inquest, held on Wednesday, was informed that BSM Webber had received only a minor sanction for the alleged incident, with crucial details omitted due to a “miscommunication” in the chain of command. Despite the sanction, Webber was promoted to Warrant Officer 1 (WO1) in May 2022.
During the proceedings, Webber confirmed his intention to resign from the Army in April but declined to answer further questions about the incident.
However, he acknowledged that he had written an apology letter to Gunner Beck, stating that its contents were accurate.
When asked by the coroner, Nicholas Rheinberg, to elaborate on his behaviour—described in the letter as “absolutely unacceptable”—Webber refused to respond.
The inquest heard that the alleged assault occurred in July 2021 during an adventure training exercise at Thorney Island, Hampshire.
Gunner Beck claimed Webber had engaged her in a drinking game before attempting to kiss her and restrain her. She later called a friend in tears, saying that “someone tried it on with her.”
Lance Bombardier Kirsty Davis provided further testimony, stating: “[Webber] was trying to kiss her, and she was trying to push him away, but he was pinning her down. Jaysley had told him ‘no’ and tried to get away, but he persisted, so she left.”
The disciplinary handling of Webber’s actions has come under scrutiny. Major Robert Ronz, assigned as the deciding officer, categorized the incident as “minor sanction territory,” believing a formal investigation was unnecessary.
However, he admitted in the inquest that he had been unaware of any physical contact and conceded that had he known, the outcome could have been significantly different.
Army policy dictates that any offence with a sexual element must be referred to the Military Service Police for investigation, but this procedure was not followed.
Instead, Webber’s misconduct was recorded simply as “inappropriate behaviour unbecoming of a warrant officer.”
Questions have also been raised regarding the disciplinary process, particularly regarding whether the Army’s “victim-led” approach placed undue pressure on Gunner Beck.
An Army inquiry in 2023 indicated that this could have influenced her reluctance to report other incidents in the lead-up to her death.
The inquest also revealed that Gunner Beck was subjected to thousands of messages from another superior, Bombardier Ryan Mason, whom she described as “psychotic and possessive.”
Further factors contributing to her distress included a tumultuous romantic relationship and struggles with binge drinking.
As the inquest continues, concerns persist over the handling of allegations of misconduct within the military and the potential impact on vulnerable young soldiers.
This article was created using automation technology and was thoroughly edited and fact-checked by one of our editorial staff members
