3 hours ago
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Bea Swallow
BBC News, West of England
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Gunner Jaysley Beck was never asked to provide a written account, an inquest has been told
An investigation into the alleged sexual assault of a teenage soldier was mishandled and largely undocumented, an inquest has been told.
Royal Artillery Gunner Jaysley Beck, 19, was found dead in her barracks at Larkhill Camp, Wiltshire, on 15 December 2021 after a work party.
The inquest heard she had filed a complaint against Battery Sergeant Major Michael Webber after he "pinned her down and tried to kiss her".
Mr Webber received a minor sanction on his record, but details of the offence were omitted and a "miscommunication" meant improper legal advice was given.
The alleged incident occurred at an adventure training exercise at Thorney Island, near Emsworth in Hampshire, in July 2021.
The work gathering extended into the early hours of the morning, until Gunner Beck and Mr Webber were left drinking together alone.
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The alleged sexual assault of Gunner Jaysley Beck was incorrectly categorised as a minor sanction, the inquest was told
Shortly after, Gunner Beck called a friend "frightened and in tears" because "someone tried it on with her", the inquest was told.
Lance Bombardier Kirsty Davis previously told the inquest: "[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', tried to get away from him but he had persisted so she left."
Following the incident, Major Robert Ronz was assigned to be the deciding officer in finding a consequence for Mr Webber's behaviour.
Giving evidence at the inquest on Wednesday, he said the incident fell into "minor sanction territory" and required no formal investigation.
"My decision on whether my administrative action was appropriate was based largely on the legal advice that was received," he said.
Gunner Beck was found dead in her barracks at Larkhill Camp, 10 days before Christmas
However, the inquest was told that there had been a "miscommunication" through the chain of command and details concerning Mr Webber's attempt to touch Gunner Beck's leg had been lost.
Major Ronz said he had been "unaware of any physical contact", but admitted had he known, the outcome would likely have been very different.
Army policy states any offence which has a sexual element should be referred for legal advice and reported to Military Service Police for a formal investigation.
Instead, the only paper trail that exists of the incident is a minor sanction record- which simply cites "inappropriate behaviour unbecoming of a warrant officer".
Major Ronz added: "There is a loss of corporate knowledge because the detail is not sufficient."
Minor sanctions have a "shelf life" of two years, and are wiped completely if a soldier is posted elsewhere, he said.
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Colleagues described Gunner Beck as having "a bubbly personality that really shone through"
Colonel Samantha Shepherd previously told the inquest that she took a more "victim-led" approach to Mr Webber's disciplinary action.
"I wanted Jaysley to feel [...] she was part of the process and had a degree of control over the outcome," she explained.
Questions have been raised over whether this placed unnecessary pressure on the 19-year-old, and risked opening her up to backlash from colleagues.
An Army service inquiry report published in October 2023 said this was "possibly a factor that may have influenced her failure to report other events that happened subsequently".
The inquest has also heard that Gunner Beck received thousands of messages from another senior colleague, Bombardier Ryan Mason, whom she described as being "psychotic and possessive".
It detailed three more "contributory factors" to her death - including the "significant strain" of a sexual relationship with a married colleague in the last few weeks of her life; a relationship that ended in November 2021 which involved "repeated allegations of unfaithfulness on the part of the boyfriend", and an "unhealthy approach to alcohol, with episodes of binge-drinking".
Appearing at the inquest, Mr Webber declined to answer questions surrounding the incident and referred to his legal counsel.
After being sworn as a witness, the coroner gave him a warning that he was not obliged to answer questions if he believed his response could "incriminate" him.
The inquest heard he was promoted to Warrant Officer 1 rank in May 2022 - despite the minor sanction he received for the incident with Gunner Beck.
Mr Webber confirmed he intends to leave the Army in April this year.
The hearing continues.
