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Family Snapshot

A former Army sergeant major has been sentenced to half a year in prison for committing sexual assault against a teenage servicewoman who afterwards ended her life.

Warrant Officer Michael Webber, forty-three, pinned down service member the victim and attempted to force a kiss on her in July 2021. She was discovered deceased five months later in her quarters at the Wiltshire base.

Webber, who was judged at the Court Martial Centre in Wiltshire earlier, will be sent to a civilian prison and registered as sexual offenders list for a seven-year period.

Gunner Beck's mother Leighann Mcready stated: "His actions, and how the armed forces did not safeguard our child subsequently, led to her death."

Army Statement

The armed forces acknowledged it did not listen to Gunner Beck, who was a native of Oxen Park in Cumbria, when she disclosed the incident and has expressed regret for its response to her allegations.

After an investigation of the tragic death, Webber confessed to the offense of sexual assault in September.

Ms McCready said her child should have been present with her relatives in the courtroom today, "to observe the person she reported brought to justice for what he did."

"Instead, we appear without her, living a life sentence that no loved ones should be forced to endure," she added.

"She adhered to protocols, but the accountable parties failed in their duties. Such negligence shattered our child totally."

Press Association

Legal Hearing

The judicial body was told that the incident happened during an military training at Thorney Island, near Emsworth in Hampshire, in summer 2021.

The accused, a senior officer at the period, attempted physical intimacy towards the servicewoman subsequent to an evening of drinking while on deployment for a training exercise.

The servicewoman claimed the sergeant said he had been "anticipating an opportunity for them to be by themselves" before making physical contact, pinning her down, and trying to kiss her.

She reported the incident against the sergeant following the violation, despite attempts by superiors to persuade her not to.

An official inquiry into her death found the armed forces' response of the complaint played "an important contributing factor in her suicide."

Family Statement

In a statement shared to the judicial body previously, the parent, said: "The young woman had recently celebrated a teenager and will forever remain a teenager full of life and laughter."

"She had faith individuals to defend her and post-incident, the confidence was gone. She was extremely troubled and fearful of Michael Webber."

"I witnessed the change personally. She felt powerless and betrayed. That violation destroyed her confidence in the structure that was intended to look after her."

Judge's Statement

While delivering judgment, Judge Advocate General the magistrate said: "We need to assess whether it can be dealt with in a different manner. We do not believe it can."

"We conclude the gravity of the crime means it can only be resolved by prison time."

He addressed the defendant: "The servicewoman had the strength and intelligence to demand you halt and told you to go to bed, but you carried on to the degree she considered she wouldn't be safe from you despite the fact she retreated to her personal quarters."

He added: "The subsequent morning, she made the complaint to her family, her acquaintances and her military superiors."

"After the complaint, the military unit decided to deal with you with minor administrative action."

"You were subject to inquiry and you accepted your behavior had been inappropriate. You prepared a written apology."

"Your professional path continued unimpeded and you were subsequently advanced to higher rank."

Further Details

At the inquest into Gunner Beck's death, the official examiner said military leadership influenced her to drop the allegations, and only reported it to a military leadership "after information had leaked."

At the moment, the accused was given a "minor administrative action interview" with no serious repercussions.

The investigation was additionally informed that only a short time after the incident Gunner Beck had additionally been exposed to "persistent mistreatment" by a different service member.

Bombardier Ryan Mason, her superior officer, directed toward her numerous text messages declaring attachments for her, accompanied by a multi-page "romantic narrative" outlining his "imagined scenarios."

Family handout

Organizational Reaction

The armed forces stated it provided its "heartfelt apologies" to Gunner Beck and her family.

"We will always be sincerely regretful for the failings that were discovered at the official inquiry in winter."

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