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Two serving British Army officers are to face a court martial over the handling of a sexual assault case involving teenage soldier Jaysley Beck, who later took her own life.
Beck, a 19-year-old Royal Artillery gunner, was sexually assaulted during a training exercise in Hampshire in July 2021 and died by suicide five months later.
On Friday, the Ministry of Defence (MoD) confirmed that the Service Prosecuting Authority has charged two officers with offences linked to conduct harmful to military discipline.
The officers are understood to be Major James Hook and Colonel Samantha Shepherd. Both previously gave evidence at the inquest into Beck’s death.
The charges relate to section 19 of the Armed Forces Act, which covers conduct prejudicial to good order and service discipline. The MoD said it would not comment further because legal proceedings are ongoing.
The assault was carried out by former sergeant major Michael Webber, who was jailed for six months in October. He had engaged Beck in a drinking game before touching her thigh and attempting to kiss her.
Beck reported the incident to her superiors the next morning, but the matter was not passed to the police. Webber later wrote her a letter of apology and was subsequently promoted.
Following Beck’s death, the Ministry of Defence created a new serious crime command, set up a violence against women and girls taskforce, and has agreed in principle to remove the handling of serious complaints from individual military services.
