A “BEAUTIFUL and kind” soldier took her own life after a relentless sexual harassment campaign by her own boss, a probe has found.
Royal Artillery Gunner Jaysley Beck, 19, was discovered dead at Larkhill Camp in Wiltshire in December 2021.
FacebookRoyal Artillery Gunner Jaysley Beck, 19, was discovered dead at Larkhill Camp in Wiltshire in December 2021[/caption]
A warrant officer wanted a relationship with Jaysley but she had a boyfriend and did not reciprocate his feelings, the report suggests
A service inquiry report into the teenager’s death highlights “an intense period of unwelcome behaviour” by her line manager.
Her boss, a warrant officer who cannot be named for legal reasons, was responsible for allocating tasks to Jaysley, but he would always ensure they worked together.
Jaysley told her friends and family she initially saw her boss as a friend and tried to be understanding, but his behaviour became unbearable.
In October 2021, he sent the Gunner more than 1,000 WhatsApp messages and voicemails, this increased to more than 3,500 the following month.
The warrant officer wanted a relationship with Jaysley but she had a boyfriend and did not reciprocate his feelings, the report suggests.
The 19-year-old later expressed fears he was tracking her movements via her mobile phone.
Jaysley, from Oxen Park, Cumbria, was 16 when she joined the Army.
Speaking to the BBC, her mother Leighann McCready, said she would “bring light into the room” and had a “lovely aura”.
But the week before her death, Jaysley was left “trembling and shaking” outside a hotel on a work trip because of her boss’s behaviour.
She called her dad in distress and was collected by a friend, according to evidence given to the investigation.
Jaysley later told her boss she felt trapped by his actions and her family were worried, adding: “The truth is, I’m struggling to deal with all this.”
“I can’t handle it any more. It’s weighing me down.”
Mum Leighann says she urged her daughter to report her boss’s behaviour but she fears Jaysley did not want to hurt his feelings.
She added that her daughter had also been put off the complaints system over it’s handling of a previous sexual assault on her by another of her seniors.
The Gunner had called Leighann to say a man “put his hands between her legs and tried to grab her from around the neck” in the bar of an Army training centre the night before.
She shouted “get off me, Sir” before hiding in the toilets and sleeping in her car fearing he’d try to get into her room.
A pal reported the incident but the man was only handed a minor sanction and told to write an apology letter,.
The report suggests this “may have influenced her failure to report other events that happened subsequently”.
The service inquiry, due to be released on Wednesday, said “it is almost certain” Jaysley’s boss’s behaviour was”a causal factor in her death”.
It added: “Whilst this behaviour ended the week before her death, it appears that it continued to affect her and had taken a significant toll on her mental resilience and well-being.”
An Army Spokesperson told The Sun: “Our thoughts and sympathies remain with Gunner Jaysley-Louise Beck’s family and friends at this difficult time.
“The Army has endorsed all 18 recommendations in the Service Inquiry report, 15 of which have already been actioned.
“The remainder will be actioned by the end of December 2023 as part of our absolute commitment to improving and maintaining the safety of our people.
“The circumstances surrounding Gunner Beck’s death, including the cause, are still to be determined by the Coroner. It would be inappropriate to comment further until the Coroner’s inquest has been completed.”
An inquest date to officially determine how Gunner Beck died has yet to be set.
Published: [#item_custom_pubDate]
