BBC News reporter Bea Swallow has revealed the tragic circumstances surrounding the death of Royal Artillery Gunner Jaysley Beck. Gunner Beck, only 19 years old, was found hanged in her barracks at Larkhill Camp in Wiltshire following a Christmas party. The coroner ruled that Gunner Beck’s suicide was influenced by the British Army’s mishandling of her complaint against her senior colleague, Battery Sergeant Major Michael Webber, who had pinned her down and attempted to kiss her at a work social event.
During the inquest, it was disclosed that Gunner Beck had also faced relentless harassment from her line manager, Bombardier Ryan Mason. Mason bombarded Gunner Beck with over 4,600 messages, confessing his feelings for her and sharing a detailed “love story” depicting his fantasies about her. Gunner Beck reported the incident involving Mr. Webber to Captain James Hook, who pressured her to drop the allegations, leading to a “miscommunication” through the chain of command and resulting in no formal investigation.
The coroner criticized the Army for not taking action against the harassment Gunner Beck endured from her line manager as well as the failure to address the sexual assault by her senior officer. Despite toxicology tests revealing Gunner Beck was significantly over the legal drink-drive limit at the time of her death, the coroner concluded that she had intended to take her own life. Brigadier Melissa Emmett from the Army personnel services group acknowledged the failures that were made in Gunner Beck’s case and expressed regret for not doing more to support her.
Looking back on Gunner Beck’s life, her mother Leighann McCready emphasized that Jaysley was more than just a soldier – she was a daughter, a sister, and a friend who brought joy to everyone around her. McCready highlighted Gunner Beck’s kind and caring nature, stating that the Army had recognized her as the kind of person they sought to recruit, making her tragic death all the more devastating
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