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A former military sergeant has been sentenced to half a year in jail for committing sexual assault against a teenage servicewoman who subsequently ended her life.

Sergeant Major the former sergeant, 43, restrained soldier the victim and tried to force a kiss on her in the summer of 2021. She was found dead several months after in her quarters at Larkhill, Wiltshire.

The defendant, who was sentenced at the legal proceedings in Wiltshire recently, will be transferred to a public jail and registered as sex offenders register for a seven-year period.

The victim's mother the mother stated: "His actions, and how the military neglected to defend our child following the incident, led to her death."

Official Reaction

The military leadership stated it did not listen to the servicewoman, who was originally from Oxen Park in Cumbria, when she reported the assault and has apologised for its handling of her allegations.

After an inquest into the tragic death, Webber admitted to the offense of sexual assault in last fall.

The grieving parent commented her child could have been present with her family in court today, "to witness the man she filed against brought to justice for his actions."

"Conversely, we stand here without her, enduring endless sorrow that no loved ones should be forced to endure," she stated further.

"She complied with procedures, but the accountable parties failed in their duties. These shortcomings destroyed our daughter completely."

PA

Legal Hearing

The legal tribunal was told that the incident happened during an field exercise at Thorney Island, near Hampshire's Emsworth, in summer 2021.

The sergeant, a senior officer at the period, attempted physical intimacy towards the soldier subsequent to an evening of drinking while on duty for a field training.

The victim stated the accused stated he had been "seeking a chance for them to be alone" before taking hold of her, restraining her, and trying to kiss her.

She filed a complaint against the accused after the assault, despite attempts by superiors to persuade her not to.

A formal investigation into her death found the military's management of the report played "a significant contributing factor in her death."

Family Statement

In a statement read out to the tribunal previously, Ms McCready, stated: "The young woman had only become nineteen and will eternally stay a youth full of energy and happiness."

"She trusted authorities to protect her and following the assault, the trust was lost. She was very upset and terrified of Michael Webber."

"I observed the transformation personally. She felt helpless and deceived. That violation broke her faith in the set-up that was supposed to protect her."

Sentencing Remarks

While delivering judgment, Judge Advocate General the judge stated: "We need to assess whether it can be addressed in another way. We do not consider it can."

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

He spoke to the convicted individual: "The servicewoman had the bravery and wisdom to tell you to stop and directed you to leave the area, but you carried on to the point she considered she would remain in danger from you even when she retreated to her assigned barracks."

He added: "The next morning, she made the complaint to her loved ones, her friends and her chain of command."

"Subsequent to the allegations, the command decided to deal with you with minor administrative action."

"You were interviewed and you admitted your actions had been inappropriate. You wrote a written apology."

"Your career advanced completely unaffected and you were in due course elevated to senior position."

Further Details

At the formal inquiry into the soldier's suicide, the coroner said Capt James Hook pressured her to drop the allegations, and just informed it to a superior officers "after information had leaked."

At the time, Webber was given a "minimal consequence discussion" with no additional penalties.

The inquest was also told that mere weeks after the violation Gunner Beck had further been exposed to "relentless harassment" by a separate individual.

A separate service member, her line manager, directed toward her more than 4,600 text messages declaring attachments for her, accompanied by a 15-page "romantic narrative" outlining his "imagined scenarios."

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Organizational Reaction

The armed forces expressed it provided its "sincerest condolences" to Gunner Beck and her loved ones.

"We will always be profoundly sorry for the shortcomings that were discovered at the official inquiry in February."

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