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An ex- military sergeant has been ordered to serve half a year in prison for committing sexual assault against a young gunner who later ended her life.

Warrant Officer Michael Webber, in his forties, pinned down soldier the young woman and attempted to kiss her in the summer of 2021. She was found dead half a year following in her quarters at the Wiltshire base.

Webber, who was sentenced at the Court Martial Centre in the Wiltshire region earlier, will be placed in a public jail and on the sex offenders register for seven years.

The victim's mother Leighann Mcready stated: "The assault, and how the military neglected to defend our child subsequently, led to her death."

Official Reaction

The armed forces acknowledged it did not listen to the servicewoman, who was hailing from Oxen Park in Cumbria, when she disclosed the incident and has expressed regret for its handling of her complaint.

Subsequent to a formal inquiry regarding the soldier's suicide, the accused pleaded guilty to the offense of physical violation in the autumn.

The mother stated her child should have been alongside her family in the courtroom now, "to observe the person she accused brought to justice for what he did."

"Instead, we are present in her absence, enduring endless sorrow that no family should ever have to face," she added.

"She followed the rules, but the accountable parties didn't follow theirs. Such negligence broke our young woman utterly."

PA

Court Proceedings

The legal tribunal was informed that the violation happened during an adventure training exercise at the exercise site, near Emsworth in Hampshire, in July 2021.

The accused, a senior officer at the moment, made a sexual advance towards the soldier subsequent to an evening of drinking while on duty for a training exercise.

The servicewoman claimed the accused stated he had been "anticipating an opportunity for them to be in private" before grabbing her leg, holding her against her will, and making unwanted advances.

She filed a complaint against the accused following the assault, despite attempts by commanding officers to convince her against reporting.

An official inquiry into her suicide found the armed forces' response of the report played "more than a minimal role in her demise."

Parent's Account

In a statement shared to the judicial body previously, the mother, stated: "The young woman had just turned a teenager and will eternally stay a teenager full of life and laughter."

"She trusted people to defend her and following the assault, the trust was gone. She was deeply distressed and terrified of the sergeant."

"I witnessed the transformation before my own eyes. She felt helpless and deceived. That assault shattered her faith in the set-up that was meant to look after her."

Sentencing Remarks

When announcing the verdict, The presiding judge the magistrate said: "We have to consider whether it can be addressed in a different manner. We are not convinced it can."

"We are satisfied the severity of the crime means it can only be dealt with by incarceration."

He spoke to the defendant: "The victim had the bravery and wisdom to instruct you to cease and instructed you to go to bed, but you continued to the degree she felt she wouldn't be safe from you despite the fact she returned to her personal quarters."

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

"After the complaint, the unit decided to address your behavior with minor administrative action."

"You underwent questioning and you acknowledged your behavior had been improper. You prepared a apology note."

"Your military service continued unimpeded and you were eventually advanced to senior position."

Background Information

At the formal inquiry into Gunner Beck's death, the coroner said military leadership pressured her to drop the allegations, and only reported it to a higher command "after information had leaked."

At the moment, Webber was given a "minor administrative action interview" with no further consequences.

The inquest was also told that mere weeks after the assault the soldier had additionally been exposed to "relentless harassment" by a separate individual.

A separate service member, her superior officer, transmitted to her numerous SMS communications confessing his feelings for her, in addition to a multi-page "love story" describing his "imagined scenarios."

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Organizational Reaction

The armed forces stated it provided its "heartfelt apologies" to Gunner Beck and her relatives.

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

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