A coroner has provided insight into the tragic passing of Jaysley Beck, a 19-year-old soldier, who was discovered deceased following a sexual assault by her superior officer.
The coroner determined that the sergeant had a significant role in her demise.
In December 2021, her body was found at the Wiltshire barracks, where she was stationed with the British Army.
This discovery came after she had lodged a formal complaint regarding a colleague’s conduct.
During the inquest, it was revealed that Gunner Beck had submitted a complaint against Battery Sergeant Major Michael Webber following an adventure training exercise at Thorney Island, near Emsworth in Hampshire, in July 2021.
Jaysley, aged 19, reportedly confided in a friend that ‘something happened that night.’
According to a PA report presented in the inquest, Coroner Nicholas Rheinberg stated: “I find on the balance of probabilities that the complaint should not have been dealt with by minor administrative action, by following this route it breached Army policy as it was a sexual assault carried out on a 19-year-old Gunner by a middle-aged man of senior rank and was recorded merely as inappropriate behaviour unbecoming of a warrant officer.”
Furthermore, the coroner addressed the alleged ‘intense period of unwelcome behavior’ directed at her by her line manager, Bombardier Ryan Mason.
The coroner noted that Mason had sent Gunner Beck 1,000 messages in October 2021 and 3,600 in November.
Rheinberg commented: “It’s difficult to imagine the extent of the adverse effect that this must have had on Jaysley, a very young woman with problems of her own.”
He continued: “Jaysley described the bombardier’s conduct as creepy and ultimately as frightening.
“Rightly or wrongly she felt he was tracking her by her phone, the bombardier denied this and I find it unlikely.”
The young soldier reportedly felt ‘freaked out’ by her ‘obsessive’ and ‘psychotic’ supervisor, with the flood of messages intensifying her distress.
The inquest also highlighted three additional ‘contributory factors’ to her death, including the ‘significant strain’ from a relationship with a married colleague, an ‘unfaithful’ previous relationship, and an ‘unhealthy approach to alcohol’ and ‘binge-drinking’.
Summarizing the findings, Rheinberg stated: “She was sufficiently terrified to flee the scene (after an incident), hide in the toilets, take refuge in the car, and remain on the phone (to her colleague).”
He added: “How Jaysley’s complaint was handled played more than a contributory part in her death.”