A coroner has determined that the Army’s inadequate handling of abuse allegations played a role in the suicide of a teenage soldier discovered deceased in her quarters at a military base. Royal Artillery Gunner Jaysley Beck, aged 19, was found hanged at Larkhill Camp in Wiltshire on December 15, 2021.
During the Salisbury inquest, evidence revealed that Beck had confided in her family about the disturbing behavior of her supervisor, Bombardier Ryan Mason, whom she described as “possessive and psychotic.” Mason had inundated her with 4,600 WhatsApp messages in the two months leading up to her death. Additionally, Beck had reported an incident from July 2021, during an adventure training exercise at Thorney Island near Emsworth, Hampshire, where Battery Sergeant Major Michael Webber—now a Warrant Officer 2—allegedly pinned her down and tried to kiss her.
On Thursday, Nicholas Rheinberg, assistant coroner for Wiltshire and Swindon, concluded that the Army’s decision to treat this assault complaint as a minor issue rather than escalating it to the police as a sexual offense significantly contributed to her death. Despite toxicology results indicating Beck’s alcohol level was triple the legal driving limit at the time of her passing, Rheinberg ruled it a suicide. “I’m convinced Jaysley took deliberate steps to end her life by hanging, fully aware of the outcome despite her intoxication,” he stated. “Her intent was clear.”
Mason refuted claims of manipulating Beck by leveraging his own mental health struggles, while Webber, a married officer, opted not to respond to questions during the inquest.
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