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A former service sergeant has been given half a year in custody for attacking a young gunner who later ended her life.

Warrant Officer the former sergeant, in his forties, restrained Royal Artillery Gunner the victim and tried to force a kiss on her in the summer of 2021. She was found dead several months after in her military accommodation at the Wiltshire base.

Webber, who was given his punishment at the Court Martial Centre in Wiltshire earlier, will be transferred to a correctional facility and on the offender database for seven years.

The victim's mother Ms. Mcready remarked: "What he [Webber] did, and how the armed forces did not safeguard our child following the incident, led to her death."

Official Reaction

The armed forces acknowledged it did not listen to the soldier, who was a native of Oxen Park in Cumbria, when she filed the complaint and has apologised for its response to her report.

Subsequent to an inquest into the tragic death, the defendant pleaded guilty to a single charge of physical violation in last fall.

Ms McCready commented her young woman could have been present with her relatives in court now, "to see the individual she reported brought to justice for the assault."

"Conversely, we are present without her, living a life sentence that no relatives should ever experience," she stated further.

"She complied with procedures, but those responsible failed in their duties. These shortcomings shattered our child totally."

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Court Proceedings

The court was advised that the assault occurred during an field exercise at the exercise site, near Hampshire's Emsworth, in mid-2021.

The accused, a Sergeant Major at the time, initiated inappropriate contact towards the servicewoman after an evening of drinking while on duty for a military exercise.

The victim testified Webber stated he had been "waiting for a moment for them to be by themselves" before grabbing her leg, pinning her down, and making unwanted advances.

She reported the incident against the sergeant after the violation, regardless of pressure by military leadership to convince her against reporting.

A formal investigation into her suicide found the armed forces' response of the report played "an important role in her suicide."

Parent's Account

In a statement shared to the judicial body earlier, the parent, said: "Our daughter had only become nineteen and will eternally stay a teenager full of energy and happiness."

"She trusted people to defend her and after what he did, the trust was shattered. She was very upset and fearful of the sergeant."

"I observed the difference before my own eyes. She felt helpless and deceived. That incident shattered her faith in the set-up that was meant to protect her."

Sentencing Remarks

When announcing the verdict, Judge Advocate General the judge said: "We need to assess whether it can be dealt with in an alternative approach. We are not convinced it can."

"We have determined the gravity of the violation means it can only be addressed by immediate custody."

He addressed Webber: "The servicewoman had the bravery and wisdom to demand you halt and directed you to leave the area, but you persisted to the degree she believed she could not feel secure from you even when she returned to her own accommodation."

He continued: "The next morning, she reported the incident to her loved ones, her companions and her military superiors."

"After the complaint, the unit chose to deal with you with minimal consequences."

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

"Your professional path advanced without interruption and you were in due course elevated to higher rank."

Background Information

At the inquest into the tragic passing, the coroner said military leadership put pressure on her to withdraw the complaint, and merely disclosed it to a superior officers "after information had leaked."

At the time, the accused was given a "minor administrative action interview" with no serious repercussions.

The inquest was further advised that only a short time after the assault the servicewoman had additionally been exposed to "continuous bullying" by another soldier.

A separate service member, her line manager, directed toward her more than 4,600 SMS communications expressing emotions for her, accompanied by a fifteen-page "personal account" outlining his "personal thoughts."

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Organizational Reaction

The military leadership stated it offered its "deepest sympathies" to Gunner Beck and her family.

"We continue to be profoundly sorry for the shortcomings that were noted at the official inquiry in early this year."

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