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An ex- service sergeant has been ordered to serve 180 days in prison for committing sexual assault against a teenage servicewoman who later ended her life.

Warrant Officer Michael Webber, in his forties, held down service member the young woman and attempted to kiss her in the summer of 2021. She was found dead five months later in her barracks at the Wiltshire base.

The defendant, who was given his punishment at the military court in the Wiltshire region previously, will be sent to a public jail and registered as sexual offenders list for seven years.

Gunner Beck's mother Ms. Mcready stated: "The assault, and how the armed forces did not safeguard our young woman afterwards, led to her death."

Army Statement

The Army stated it did not listen to the soldier, who was originally from the Cumbrian village, when she disclosed the incident and has expressed regret for its response to her complaint.

Subsequent to a formal inquiry regarding the soldier's suicide, Webber admitted to a single charge of physical violation in September.

The mother stated her child ought to have been present with her family in the courtroom today, "to observe the person she reported brought to justice for his actions."

"Instead, we appear in her absence, enduring endless sorrow that no loved ones should ever have to face," she continued.

"She adhered to protocols, but those responsible failed in their duties. Such negligence shattered our child totally."

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Judicial Process

The judicial body was told that the assault took place during an field exercise at the exercise site, near the Hampshire area, in summer 2021.

Webber, a ranking soldier at the time, initiated inappropriate contact towards the servicewoman after an evening of drinking while on assignment for a military exercise.

The servicewoman claimed Webber said he had been "anticipating an opportunity for them to be in private" before taking hold of her, holding her against her will, and making unwanted advances.

She reported the incident against the sergeant after the assault, regardless of pressure by commanding officers to discourage her.

An inquest into her passing found the military's management of the report played "a significant contributing factor in her demise."

Parent's Account

In a testimony shared to the court previously, the parent, expressed: "She had only become nineteen and will forever remain a young person full of life and laughter."

"She trusted people to defend her and post-incident, the confidence was lost. She was very upset and scared of the sergeant."

"I observed the transformation before my own eyes. She felt vulnerable and abandoned. That violation shattered her faith in the structure that was supposed to safeguard her."

Court Ruling

During sentencing, The judicial officer Alan Large said: "We must evaluate whether it can be dealt with in another way. We do not believe it can."

"We are satisfied the gravity of the crime means it can only be addressed by incarceration."

He addressed the convicted individual: "She had the strength and intelligence to tell you to stop and directed you to go to bed, but you carried on to the point she felt she would remain in danger from you even when she retreated to her assigned barracks."

He added: "The next morning, she made the complaint to her loved ones, her companions and her military superiors."

"After the complaint, the command chose to handle the situation with light disciplinary measures."

"You underwent questioning and you admitted your conduct had been improper. You prepared a letter of apology."

"Your professional path advanced without interruption and you were eventually advanced to senior position."

Background Information

At the formal inquiry into the soldier's suicide, the investigating officer said military leadership pressured her to withdraw the complaint, and only reported it to a military leadership "after information had leaked."

At the moment, the sergeant was given a "minimal consequence discussion" with no serious repercussions.

The investigation was further advised that only a short time after the violation Gunner Beck had also been subjected to "relentless harassment" by a separate individual.

A separate service member, her superior officer, sent her over four thousand six hundred text messages declaring attachments for her, along with a 15-page "personal account" outlining his "personal thoughts."

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Official Statement

The armed forces expressed it offered its "heartfelt apologies" to Gunner Beck and her loved ones.

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

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