Police investigated report soldier was harassed before her death, inquest hears
The assistant coroner has retired to consider his conclusion following the inquest into the death of Royal Artillery soldier Jaysley Beck.
Nineteen-year-old Gunner Beck was found dead at Larkhill Camp in Wiltshire on 15 December 2021.
On Tuesday, Salisbury Coroner's Court heard how police investigated a report by her family that she had been the victim of harassment from her supervisor.
The inquest heard how she received thousands of messages from Ryan Mason, who was a bombardier at the time but has since left the Army, in the months leading up to her death.
He is alleged to have booked and paid for hotel rooms next to each other for himself and Gnr Beck during a work trip a week before her death.
Mr Mason, who served in the Royal Artillery's Core Engagement Team with Gnr Beck, also wrote a 14-page document that contained his feelings towards her, the inquest was told.
Detective Inspector Eirin Martin, of Wiltshire Police, said the force received a complaint from Gnr Beck's mother, Leighann McCready, about Mr Mason's conduct.
DI Martin said: "We received a complaint via an online report from Jaysley's mother in relation to a complaint of harassment by Mr Mason against Jaysley.
"This evidenced the text messages we had seen from the family which were investigated, and disclosure by Jaysley's friends and family.
"We conducted an investigation looking at harassment over that period of time and the conclusion was the evidence didn't support a criminal harassment case."
DI Martin said the nature of the messages, and of the relationship between then-Bombardier Mason and Gnr Beck "didn't amount to enough for us to go to the CPS [Crown Prosecution Service]".
Laptop seized
The inquest heard that Mr Mason's laptop was seized by police and a copy of a document was retrieved.
DI Martin said: "It consisted of 14 pages of essentially a journal of his inner thoughts around his life, his relationships with colleagues, his working life and personal life, and contained a significant amount around his feelings towards Jaysley."
Mr Mason, who is now a driving instructor, declined to answer a number of questions relating to his feelings for and behaviour towards Gnr Beck when he appeared at her inquest last week.
He had been advised by assistant coroner Nicholas Rheinberg that he did not have to answer questions if his answers were likely to incriminate him – a warning given to other witnesses during the inquest.
Last week, Warrant Officer 2 Michael Webber declined to answer questions relating to an incident in which he allegedly pinned down Gnr Beck and attempted to kiss her in July 2021.
He received a minor administrative action following the incident and was later promoted to Warrant Officer Class 1, the most senior soldier rank in the British Army.
And on Monday, George Higgins, a former sergeant who has since left the Army, declined to answer questions about whether his relationship with Gnr Beck had begun when she was a recruit in Harrogate.
The inquest heard that it is an offence under the Sexual Offences Act for someone in a position of trust to have sexual activity with a person aged under 18.
Assistant Coroner Mr Rheinberg is due to give his conclusion on Thursday.
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