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A former Army sergeant major has been sentenced to 180 days in jail for sexually assaulting a young gunner who afterwards died by suicide.

Warrant Officer Michael Webber, 43, pinned down Royal Artillery Gunner the young woman and sought to force a kiss on her in mid-2021. She was discovered deceased several months after in her quarters at Larkhill military installation.

The defendant, who was judged at the military court in Wiltshire previously, will be placed in a correctional facility and on the sex offenders register for multiple years.

The family matriarch the mother commented: "His actions, and how the armed forces failed to protect our daughter following the incident, led to her death."

Army Statement

The Army said it ignored Gunner Beck, who was originally from Oxen Park in Cumbria, when she disclosed the incident and has expressed regret for its response to her allegations.

After a formal inquiry regarding the tragic death, Webber pleaded guilty to a single charge of physical violation in the autumn.

The grieving parent stated her young woman could have been present with her family in legal proceedings today, "to observe the man she accused brought to justice for what he did."

"Conversely, we stand here without her, living a life sentence that no loved ones should ever experience," she stated further.

"She complied with procedures, but the accountable parties neglected their responsibilities. Such negligence broke our young woman totally."

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Judicial Process

The court was advised that the violation occurred during an field exercise at the training location, near the Hampshire area, in July 2021.

The accused, a ranking soldier at the time, attempted physical intimacy towards Gunner Beck after an alcohol consumption while on deployment for a training exercise.

The servicewoman stated the sergeant said he had been "seeking a chance for them to be by themselves" before making physical contact, pinning her down, and trying to kiss her.

She filed a complaint against the accused subsequent to the incident, notwithstanding efforts by superiors to discourage her.

An inquest into her death found the military's management of the complaint played "an important contributing factor in her death."

Parent's Account

In a statement presented to the court earlier, the mother, stated: "Our daughter had recently celebrated nineteen and will forever remain a young person full of energy and happiness."

"She trusted individuals to protect her and following the assault, the faith was lost. She was deeply distressed and fearful of the sergeant."

"I witnessed the transformation before my own eyes. She felt powerless and betrayed. That assault broke her trust in the structure that was intended to safeguard her."

Sentencing Remarks

When announcing the verdict, Judge Advocate General the magistrate remarked: "We have to consider whether it can be handled in a different manner. We do not consider it can."

"We are satisfied the gravity of the violation means it can only be addressed by incarceration."

He told the convicted individual: "The servicewoman had the bravery and wisdom to tell you to stop and directed you to go to bed, but you continued to the extent she felt she would remain in danger from you despite the fact she retreated to her assigned barracks."

He added: "The following day, she reported the incident to her relatives, her friends and her chain of command."

"Subsequent to the allegations, the military unit opted to deal with you with minimal consequences."

"You were subject to inquiry and you accepted your behavior had been unacceptable. You wrote a letter of apology."

"Your military service advanced unimpeded and you were eventually advanced to higher rank."

Background Information

At the formal inquiry into Gunner Beck's death, the official examiner said Capt James Hook pressured her to cease proceedings, and merely disclosed it to a superior officers "once details became known."

At the time, the accused was given a "light disciplinary meeting" with no further consequences.

The inquiry was additionally informed that just weeks after the incident the servicewoman had also been exposed to "continuous bullying" by a different service member.

Another soldier, her commanding individual, transmitted to her numerous digital communications confessing his feelings for her, in addition to a fifteen-page "romantic narrative" detailing his "personal thoughts."

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Institutional Response

The Army expressed it extended its "sincerest condolences" to Gunner Beck and her loved ones.

"We remain profoundly sorry for the shortcomings that were discovered at the formal investigation in early this year."

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