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Family Snapshot

An ex- Army sergeant major has been ordered to serve 180 days in custody for attacking a teenage servicewoman who subsequently ended her life.

Sergeant Major the former sergeant, in his forties, pinned down Royal Artillery Gunner the young woman and sought to force a kiss on her in July 2021. She was discovered deceased half a year following in her quarters at Larkhill, Wiltshire.

The convicted individual, who was sentenced at the legal proceedings in the Wiltshire region previously, will be placed in a civilian prison and registered as sexual offenders list for seven years.

Gunner Beck's mother the mother commented: "What he [Webber] did, and how the military neglected to defend our young woman afterwards, resulted in her suicide."

Military Response

The military leadership acknowledged it ignored the servicewoman, who was originally from the Cumbrian village, when she reported the assault and has apologised for its handling of her allegations.

After a formal inquiry regarding Gunner Beck's death, the accused pleaded guilty to the offense of sexual assault in last fall.

The grieving parent stated her daughter could have been present with her loved ones in legal proceedings now, "to see the individual she filed against facing consequences for the assault."

"Rather, we appear missing her, facing perpetual grief that no relatives should be forced to endure," she continued.

"She adhered to protocols, but the individuals in charge failed in their duties. These shortcomings destroyed our daughter utterly."

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Legal Hearing

The judicial body was advised that the violation took place during an adventure training exercise at the exercise site, near Emsworth in Hampshire, in mid-2021.

Webber, a Sergeant Major at the moment, initiated inappropriate contact towards the servicewoman subsequent to an social gathering while on assignment for a military exercise.

Gunner Beck testified Webber said he had been "waiting for a moment for them to be in private" before taking hold of her, holding her against her will, and attempting to force intimacy.

She filed a complaint against the sergeant subsequent to the violation, regardless of pressure by superiors to convince her against reporting.

An official inquiry into her passing found the military's management of the allegations played "an important role in her suicide."

Parent's Account

In a account shared to the court during proceedings, the parent, expressed: "She had just turned a teenager and will always be a youth full of life and laughter."

"She believed authorities to protect her and after what he did, the faith was gone. She was very upset and scared of the sergeant."

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

Court Ruling

During sentencing, Judge Advocate General Alan Large said: "We have to consider whether it can be addressed in another way. We do not believe it can."

"We conclude the seriousness of the crime means it can only be resolved by incarceration."

He addressed the defendant: "She had the courage and good sense to instruct you to cease and directed you to go to bed, but you carried on to the extent she felt she could not feel secure from you despite the fact she went back to her own accommodation."

He continued: "The subsequent morning, she reported the incident to her family, her companions and her chain of command."

"After the complaint, the command chose to address your behavior with light disciplinary measures."

"You were subject to inquiry and you admitted your actions had been unacceptable. You composed a apology note."

"Your career continued without interruption and you were subsequently elevated to senior position."

Further Details

At the inquest into Gunner Beck's death, the official examiner said Capt James Hook pressured her to withdraw the complaint, and merely disclosed it to a military leadership "after information had leaked."

At the moment, the sergeant was given a "minor administrative action interview" with no further consequences.

The inquest was additionally informed that mere weeks after the violation the soldier had further been exposed to "continuous bullying" by another soldier.

A separate service member, her superior officer, directed toward her more than 4,600 text messages expressing emotions for her, along with a 15-page "personal account" detailing his "personal thoughts."

Family handout

Institutional Response

The Army said it provided its "heartfelt apologies" to the soldier and her family.

"We remain sincerely regretful for the deficiencies that were discovered at the formal investigation in winter."

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