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Family Snapshot

A former military sergeant has been ordered to serve six months in prison for committing sexual assault against a teenage servicewoman who subsequently died by suicide.

Sergeant Major the former sergeant, forty-three, restrained soldier the victim and sought to force a kiss on her in the summer of 2021. She was located without signs of life half a year following in her quarters at Larkhill military installation.

Webber, who was sentenced at the Court Martial Centre in Wiltshire earlier, will be placed in a civilian prison and registered as sexual offenders list for a seven-year period.

The victim's mother the mother stated: "His actions, and how the military did not safeguard our child afterwards, resulted in her suicide."

Army Statement

The military leadership acknowledged it failed to hear the soldier, who was hailing from the Cumbrian village, when she filed the complaint and has apologised for its response to her report.

Following a formal inquiry regarding the soldier's suicide, the defendant confessed to a single charge of unwanted sexual advance in the autumn.

Ms McCready said her daughter ought to have been present with her loved ones in legal proceedings now, "to see the man she filed against held accountable for what he did."

"Rather, we are present in her absence, facing perpetual grief that no relatives should ever have to face," she continued.

"She complied with procedures, but those responsible neglected their responsibilities. Those failures destroyed our daughter totally."

Press Association

Court Proceedings

The legal tribunal was told that the assault took place during an field exercise at the exercise site, near Emsworth in Hampshire, in summer 2021.

The sergeant, a Sergeant Major at the time, made a sexual advance towards the soldier following an evening of drinking while on deployment for a training exercise.

Gunner Beck stated Webber said he had been "seeking a chance for them to be in private" before making physical contact, holding her against her will, and trying to kiss her.

She made official allegations against the accused following the assault, regardless of pressure by military leadership to convince her against reporting.

A formal investigation into her death found the armed forces' response of the complaint played "more than a minimal contributing factor in her death."

Parent's Account

In a account shared to the tribunal during proceedings, the mother, stated: "The young woman had only become a teenager and will forever remain a youth full of life and laughter."

"She had faith individuals to defend her and post-incident, the trust was shattered. She was extremely troubled and scared of Michael Webber."

"I saw the change personally. She felt helpless and deceived. That incident broke her trust in the structure that was intended to protect her."

Court Ruling

While delivering judgment, The presiding judge the judge remarked: "We need to assess whether it can be handled in an alternative approach. We do not believe it can."

"We have determined the seriousness of the crime means it can only be dealt with by immediate custody."

He told Webber: "The victim had the courage and good sense to tell you to stop and told you to go to bed, but you continued to the degree she considered she would remain in danger from you even if she retreated to her assigned barracks."

He added: "The subsequent morning, she disclosed the assault to her relatives, her acquaintances and her military superiors."

"Following the report, the military unit decided to address your behavior with minimal consequences."

"You were interviewed and you admitted your behavior had been improper. You prepared a apology note."

"Your military service continued completely unaffected and you were subsequently advanced to senior position."

Background Information

At the formal inquiry into Gunner Beck's death, the official examiner said military leadership pressured her to cease proceedings, and merely disclosed it to a superior officers "when the cat was already out of the bag."

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

The inquest was also told that mere weeks after the violation the soldier had additionally been subjected to "persistent mistreatment" by another soldier.

A separate service member, her superior officer, sent her numerous digital communications declaring attachments for her, in addition to a fifteen-page "romantic narrative" detailing his "personal thoughts."

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Institutional Response

The Army said it provided its "sincerest condolences" to Gunner Beck and her family.

"We remain sincerely regretful for the failings that were noted at the official inquiry in early this year."

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