Officers face court martial over Jaysley Beck case

Two British Army officers, including former Battery Sergeant Major Michael Webber and an unnamed senior officer, have been charged under Section 19 of the Armed Forces Act for mishandling sexual‑assault allegations against 19‑year‑old Gunner Jaysley Beck at Larkhill Camp, Wiltshire. Beck, who joined the Army at 16, reported assault by Webber in July 2021; he was later jailed for six months after a separate conviction but the incident had only resulted in an internal apology and no police report. In December 2021 Beck was found dead in her barracks, apparently by suicide, and an inquest found Army failure to act “more than minimally” contributed to her death. An army report published in October 2023 linked her exposure to unwelcome behaviour with her death. The court‑martial proceedings are ongoing.