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Two high-ranking Army officers have denied allegations connected to the tragic death of a young soldier who took her own life after being sexually assaulted by a superior. Colonel Samantha Shepherd and Major James Hook appeared via video link at the Military Court Centre in Catterick, where both refuted charges of “conduct prejudicial to good order and service discipline.”
These charges stem from the handling of a complaint filed by Gunner Jaysley Beck, who was only 19 when she was found dead in her barracks at Larkhill Camp, Wiltshire, in 2021. The former senior non-commissioned officer Michael Webber, aged 43, pleaded guilty last year to sexually assaulting Beck five months before her death and received a six-month jail sentence. An inquest into Beck’s death highlighted that the assault and subsequent failings by the Army to take appropriate action were contributing factors “more than minimally” linked to her passing.
The Army has expressed its remorse, issuing an apology for the shortcomings uncovered during the inquest. At the hearing on Wednesday, Colonel Shepherd denied two specific charges. The first alleges that she failed to report an alleged sexual assault to the service police within her regiment after July 13, 2021. The second charge accuses her of misrepresenting what she was told by Gunner Beck to another individual. Meanwhile, Major Hook also denied a single charge alleging that he did not treat information passed by Beck with appropriate seriousness on the same date.
Judge Adjutant General Alan Large informed the defendants that their trial is scheduled to begin on September 14. However, it remains undecided whether the five-day hearing will take place at Catterick or at Bulford Camp in Wiltshire. A further case management hearing is set for June 23. During the brief 20-minute proceedings, family members of Gunner Beck were present via video link. It was also noted that Major Hook is currently serving with the 29 Commando Regiment Royal Artillery, while Colonel Shepherd, appearing from the United States, is part of the British Defence Staff stationed there
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