Former senior NCO sentenced to six months in prison for sexual assaulting Jaysley Beck
A former senior non-commissioned officer has been sentenced to six months in prison and seven years on the sex offenders' register after sexually assaulting a 19-year old female soldier.
WO1 Michael Webber, who quit the Army in August this year, pinned down and tried to kiss Gunner Jaysley Beck at an adventure training event at Thorney Island in Hampshire in 2021.
The young soldier went on to take her own life in December of the same year.
Webber had pled guilty to sexually assaulting Gunner Beck at a hearing in September.
Today, in his sentencing comments, Judge Advocate General Alan Large told Webber that the sentence of six months in prison "reflects the offending and the effect of the offence on Gunner Beck and her family".
He went on to say: "You were a WO2, high in the scale of authority, Gunner Beck was at the bottom of the scale. You used your rank and position to sexually assault Gunner Beck."
In February 2025, the inquest into her death concluded that the offence and the way the Army’s failure to take appropriate action made a "more than minimal" contribution to her death.
Major General Jon Swift, Assistant Chief of the General Staff, read out a statement on behalf of the Army outside the court.
"We are sorry we didn't listen to Jaysley when she first reported her assault," he said.
"We are determined to make sure the same mistakes do not happen again. Since Jaysley's death, we have introduced a significant cultural reform programme, alongside the 'Raising our Standards' programme."
Jaysley Beck's mother, Leighann McCready, was unhappy with the Army's response.
In a statement outside the court, she said: "It's four years on. How long does it take for changes to be made and reaction to be taken?
"It just beggars belief that he can stand there, not take any questions, but again reword what's already in the system."
The court heard details of the sexual assault and how it was handled by Gnr Beck's chain of command.
Prosecuting, Commodore James Farrant told the military court that Webber and Gnr Beck had been away for adventure training on Thorney Island when the incident took place.
He said: "On the first night of their training, both of them stayed up in the bar drinking and, in fact, the two of them were the last two present in the bar.
"At some point, after they had been drinking together for some time, Mr Webber told the complainant that she was beautiful.
"He put his hand on the back of her head in order to kiss her, and he also touched her thigh. She asked him to stop and told him that he should go to bed.
"However, he continued to the extent that Gunner Beck feared she would not be safe from him if she went to her accommodation."
The court heard Gnr Beck first hid in the toilets, standing on top of a toilet seat so Webber would not see where she was, before locking herself in her car overnight.
She reported the incident the following day, and Webber was dealt with by a minor administrative action, involving him being interviewed and writing Gnr Beck a letter of apology.
Cdre Farrant said: "I am sure this court will find that whatever its justification at the time, it was not appropriate that this incident was dealt with administratively.
"It meant no police investigation could take place."
WO2 Webber continued in his career after the incident and was promoted to WO1.
As well as his prison time, he was 'reduced to the ranks'.
His sentence will be served in a civilian prison.
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