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Family Snapshot

A former Army sergeant major has been sentenced to half a year in custody for committing sexual assault against a young gunner who later took her own life.

Warrant Officer the former sergeant, 43, held down service member the young woman and attempted to make physical contact in July 2021. She was discovered deceased half a year following in her military accommodation at the Wiltshire base.

The defendant, who was sentenced at the legal proceedings in the Wiltshire region previously, will be transferred to a public jail and on the sexual offenders list for seven years.

Gunner Beck's mother the mother remarked: "His actions, and how the military did not safeguard our daughter afterwards, resulted in her suicide."

Official Reaction

The armed forces stated it ignored the soldier, who was a native of Cumbria's Oxen Park, when she reported the assault and has apologised for its management of her report.

After a formal inquiry regarding the soldier's suicide, Webber pleaded guilty to one count of physical violation in last fall.

The mother commented her daughter could have been alongside her family in legal proceedings now, "to observe the man she accused facing consequences for his actions."

"Instead, we stand here without her, living a life sentence that no family should ever experience," she added.

"She complied with procedures, but the accountable parties neglected their responsibilities. Those failures shattered our child utterly."

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Judicial Process

The legal tribunal was informed that the assault occurred during an adventure training exercise at the exercise site, near Emsworth in Hampshire, in July 2021.

Webber, a senior officer at the moment, made a sexual advance towards the servicewoman following an evening of drinking while on assignment for a training exercise.

Gunner Beck stated Webber stated he had been "waiting for a moment for them to be by themselves" before grabbing her leg, holding her against her will, and making unwanted advances.

She filed a complaint against Webber following the incident, regardless of pressure by commanding officers to discourage her.

An inquest into her suicide found the armed forces' response of the allegations played "a significant contributing factor in her demise."

Mother's Testimony

In a testimony shared to the court previously, the mother, expressed: "She had recently celebrated 19 and will eternally stay a young person full of vitality and joy."

"She had faith authorities to protect her and post-incident, the confidence was gone. She was extremely troubled and scared of Michael Webber."

"I observed the difference firsthand. She felt powerless and betrayed. That assault broke her confidence in the set-up that was intended to look after her."

Sentencing Remarks

During sentencing, Judge Advocate General the judge said: "We need to assess whether it can be addressed in a different manner. We do not believe it can."

"We have determined the gravity of the violation means it can only be addressed by immediate custody."

He addressed the defendant: "The victim had the bravery and wisdom to demand you halt and directed you to retire for the night, but you persisted to the point she considered she would remain in danger from you even when she retreated to her personal quarters."

He added: "The following day, she disclosed the assault to her family, her friends and her commanding officers."

"Following the report, the military unit decided to address your behavior with light disciplinary measures."

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

"Your professional path continued without interruption and you were subsequently promoted to senior position."

Additional Context

At the investigation into the soldier's suicide, the investigating officer said military leadership pressured her to cease proceedings, and merely disclosed it to a military leadership "once details became known."

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

The investigation was additionally informed that only a short time after the violation the servicewoman had further been exposed to "relentless harassment" by another soldier.

Another soldier, her line manager, sent her more than 4,600 text messages expressing emotions for her, accompanied by a 15-page "romantic narrative" outlining his "imagined scenarios."

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Institutional Response

The military leadership stated it offered its "deepest sympathies" to Gunner Beck and her family.

"We will always be sincerely regretful for the deficiencies that were identified at the official inquiry in early this year."

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