Exclusive: Former defence secretary demands shake-up in way sexual offences are dealt with

Serious sexual offences should be removed from the military justice system if the Army can't step up and deliver change within the next 12 months, a former defence secretary has said.

Sir Gavin Williamson, who was defence secretary between November 2017 and May 2019, made the comments after the family of 19-year-old Royal Artillery Gunner Jaysley Beck, who took her own life have being sexually assaulted in the Army, are campaigning for an independent body to handle serious complaints in the military.

During the inquest hundreds of personnel took to social media anonymously to share their stories of horrendous experiences.

• Jaysley Beck's sister warns women not to join Army in wake of failings outlined at inquest
• Jaysley mum: Army cannot investigate itself in cases of sexual harassment and assault
• Jaysley Beck: Army's apology for failing to protect teenage soldier who took her own life

Sir Gavin told Forces News "what we've seen is absolutely shocking".

"They've got a very, very short window to prove that they can deliver in terms of that changed culture and making sure that anyone's daughter who joins the Army is going to be absolutely safe.

"If the Army can't deliver that, then I think that a more radical sort of approach may have to be looked at."

Asked specifically if serious sexual offences should be removed from the military justice system across all of the services he said "if the Army can't deliver the type of change over the next 12 months, it's quite clear that needs to be done.

"If they can deliver the change which I would hope is within them and believe it's within them to deliver that change then maybe that isn't required," he said.

"But I think it’s got to be on the table and if they aren't able to make the rapid shift over the next few months, then you probably need to make that tough choice, which I know many people in the Army would be very much against, but they will have missed the opportunity to deliver the change that they've got to deliver.

"So, if they can't do that, then you have to sort of take that away from them."

The sister of Jaysley also warned women not to join the British Army after a coroner found that "systemic" failures had contributed to her death.

When asked if he would be happy for his daughters to join the Army he said he would but he wants to see "additional change" and a "shift which I know is within the Army to deliver".

"But it’s got to deliver and it’s got to deliver it now," he said.