A coroner ruled a teenage soldier was tormented by male superiors before she died by suicide. The Army failed her.
Jaysley Beck was 19. She was a Royal Artillery Gunner. They found her dead at Larkhill Camp in 2021, near Salisbury.
An inquest happened in Salisbury. Jaysley told friends senior colleagues tormented her. She was upset before she died.
Bombardier Ryan Mason sent many messages. The coroner called his actions “psychotic.” BSM Michael Webber also attacked her, pinning her down and trying to kiss her.
The coroner said she died by suicide. The Army’s handling of the assault case contributed and played a part in her death.
Jaysley’s mom wants an independent investigation looking into abuse cases. This includes sexual harassment and bullying.
She wants the government to make changes. Servicewomen fear speaking up because the Army investigates itself now. She wants an outside body to handle serious cases.
Jaysley was more than a soldier. She was a daughter and a sister. She was kind and loved, full of life and great at her job. The Army even said she was the perfect recruit.
The coroner criticized the Army, saying they contributed to her death. The Army apologized for failing Jaysley, but her mom is disgusted by this, saying the Army failed Jaysley.
Jaysley joined in March 2019. She was from Oxen Park in Cumbria. She spent a year at Army Foundation College and joined the Royal Artillery in 2020.
She promoted the Army at events. The inquest learned she was “taken advantage of.” Older male colleagues harassed her.
She complained about BSM Webber, who pinned her down and kissed her. Ryan Mason also harassed her, sending her many messages and confessing his feelings.
Mason showed her a “love story” detailing fantasies about her. He manipulated her with suicide threats, and she felt trapped.
Mason booked hotel rooms on a training exercise. Jaysley thought it was weird. Her dad said Mason was controlling, and her mom said Ryan was freaking her out.
The coroner described Mason’s actions as creepy and frightening. Webber’s incident happened in July 2021. He boasted about waiting to be alone with her.
He grabbed her leg and tried to kiss her. Jaysley called a friend, scared and crying, and stayed in her car all night, fearing he would find her.
A Captain thought she was making excuses and only reported it later. Webber got a minor punishment, and he was then promoted.
Webber declined to answer questions. The coroner ruled he sexually assaulted her. This should have been reported to the police, buy the Army failed to take action.
She died by suicide, the coroner said, believing she intended to die. The Army should have acted on the harassment and also failed after the sexual assault.
Her mom is disgusted neither man was charged. She hopes Webber will be prosecuted now since the coroner said he assaulted her daughter.
The Army accepted they failed her and apologized for letting her down. After her death, many women shared abuse stories. The Army head condemned the “shameful behavior.”