Soldier's family fighting for independent Army watchdog

The family of a soldier who took her own life after being sexually assaulted in the Army have vowed to fight for an independent body to handle serious complaints in the military.

Royal Artillery Gunner Jaysley Beck, 19, was found dead in her barracks at Larkhill Camp in Wiltshire on 15 December 2021 after a Christmas party.

An inquest found the Army's failure to take action after she was assaulted by a senior sergeant contributed to her suicide.

Defence Secretary John Healey said the government is now legislating for an independent armed forces commissioner.

Speaking to the BBC, Gunner Beck's mother Leighann McCready said the Army could no longer be allowed to "mark its own homework".

She said an independent body had to be established to handle "any form of sexual assault and harassment".

When Gunner Beck, originally from Oxen Park in Cumbria, reported the sexual assault by a superior, the complaint was handled by someone who knew the perpetrator, her mother said.

Ms McCready added her daughter was told "he's a battery sergeant, he's married, he has children, and Jaysley, if you do complain this could ruin his career".

Since her death, Gunner Beck's family have been contacted by other women who claimed they have been sexually harassed within the Army.

Her sister Emilli Beck said: "It gives us comfort people trust us to speak out."

Ms McCready added: "Not only does it give us comfort people feel comfortable enough to speak to us, it also gives us more determination to keep on fighting and I will not stop until changes are made."

Ms Beck said she believes only an independent body could prevent future complaints "being brushed under the carpet".

She said soldiers needed to know "they will be listened to, so they can trust that this will be taken further, that there's no connection (of investigators) to the perpetrator and that it will be handled appropriately."

Mr Healey told the BBC Jaysley's "death was a tragedy that should never have happened".

He said that "we have to, and we have made clear that we'll have zero tolerance for that sort of abuse and harassment".

"Jaysley's family have said what they would really like is an independent look at this pattern that in the past has been too prevalent in the British armed forces of such harassment and abuse, and that's exactly what we're legislating for the moment," he added.

He continued: "We have to clamp down on it, we will. We have to support victims, and we are.

"But we are also legislating for an independent armed forces commissioner that will be an independent champion and voice that will be able to look at such issues in the future."

"That will be an important step in improving service life for the future," he said.

At the conclusion of Gunner Beck's inquest, the Army formally apologised to her family.

Brigadier Melissa Emmett, head of the Army personnel services group, said it "should have done so much more to support and protect her".

"For three years since Jaysley's sad death, we have seen significant changes in the Army, including the introduction of clear and unequivocal policies to state that there will be zero tolerance to unacceptable sexual behaviours," she said.

"These changes are being embedded throughout our culture, policies and enduring practices across every part of the Army."

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