🔗 Share this article

Family Snapshot

A former service sergeant has been given 180 days in prison for committing sexual assault against a young gunner who later ended her life.

Sergeant Major Michael Webber, forty-three, held down Royal Artillery Gunner the victim and tried to make physical contact in July 2021. She was located without signs of life half a year following in her military accommodation at Larkhill, Wiltshire.

The defendant, who was given his punishment at the Court Martial Centre in the Wiltshire region previously, will be sent to a civilian prison and on the sex offenders register for a seven-year period.

Gunner Beck's mother Ms. Mcready stated: "What he [Webber] did, and how the military neglected to defend our child afterwards, led to her death."

Official Reaction

The military leadership acknowledged it failed to hear the soldier, who was hailing from the Cumbrian village, when she reported the assault and has apologised for its handling of her report.

Subsequent to a formal inquiry regarding Gunner Beck's death, the defendant admitted to a single charge of unwanted sexual advance in last fall.

The mother stated her daughter should have been present with her loved ones in legal proceedings this day, "to observe the individual she accused facing consequences for the assault."

"Rather, we are present without her, facing perpetual grief that no loved ones should ever have to face," she continued.

"She complied with procedures, but those responsible didn't follow theirs. Such negligence broke our young woman totally."

Press Association

Judicial Process

The judicial body was advised that the violation happened during an field exercise at the training location, near Hampshire's Emsworth, in summer 2021.

Webber, a senior officer at the time, attempted physical intimacy towards the servicewoman subsequent to an social gathering while on deployment for a military exercise.

The victim stated Webber remarked he had been "anticipating an opportunity for them to be in private" before grabbing her leg, pinning her down, and trying to kiss her.

She made official allegations against Webber after the incident, notwithstanding efforts by commanding officers to convince her against reporting.

An official inquiry into her passing found the military's management of the complaint played "more than a minimal contributory part in her demise."

Parent's Account

In a account presented to the court previously, the mother, stated: "The young woman had recently celebrated a teenager and will forever remain a teenager full of energy and happiness."

"She had faith authorities to defend her and following the assault, the faith was lost. She was extremely troubled and fearful of Michael Webber."

"I observed the difference personally. She felt vulnerable and abandoned. That violation destroyed her trust in the structure that was supposed to protect her."

Sentencing Remarks

During sentencing, The judicial officer Alan Large said: "We must evaluate whether it can be addressed in an alternative approach. We do not consider it can."

"We have determined the gravity of the offence means it can only be dealt with by prison time."

He spoke to the defendant: "The servicewoman had the courage and good sense to instruct you to cease and told you to go to bed, but you carried on to the degree she felt she wouldn't be safe from you despite the fact she retreated to her personal quarters."

He added: "The next morning, she reported the incident to her relatives, her acquaintances and her chain of command."

"Subsequent to the allegations, the command opted to address your behavior with light disciplinary measures."

"You were interviewed and you accepted your actions had been inappropriate. You composed a letter of apology."

"Your military service continued without interruption and you were subsequently elevated to higher rank."

Further Details

At the inquest into Gunner Beck's death, the investigating officer said Capt James Hook influenced her to withdraw the complaint, and only reported it to a higher command "after information had leaked."

At the moment, Webber was given a "minor administrative action interview" with no additional penalties.

The inquiry was further advised that only a short time after the violation Gunner Beck had additionally been subjected to "relentless harassment" by a different service member.

A separate service member, her line manager, sent her more than 4,600 digital communications declaring attachments for her, along with a multi-page "personal account" describing his "personal thoughts."

Personal collection

Organizational Reaction

The military leadership stated it extended its "sincerest condolences" to the soldier and her relatives.

"We remain deeply apologetic for the shortcomings that were discovered at the official inquiry in February."

"{The end of|The conclusion of|The completion