A court martial is hearing allegations that two senior Army officers failed to properly handle a sexual assault claim made by a teenage soldier, Gunner Jaysley Beck, who later died by suicide. Gunner Beck, 19, reportedly told Colonel Samantha Shepherd and Major James Hook in July 2021 that she may have been sexually assaulted during a social event at a training exercise.
Prosecutors claim that Colonel Shepherd, who was the regimental colonel of the Royal Artillery at the time, attempted to prevent the involvement of service police, while Major Hook allegedly pressured Gunner Beck to drop her allegation. The court heard that Gunner Beck was found dead in her barracks in Wiltshire in December 2021, five months after reporting the incident.
Colonel Shepherd and Major Hook are currently on trial, facing a charge of conduct prejudicial to good order and service discipline. Commander Paul Patterson, prosecuting, told the court that the allegations made by Gunner Beck were not treated with sufficient seriousness by the accused officers. He stated that Major Hook, then a captain, did not handle the information from Gunner Beck in a manner consistent with its gravity, and Colonel Shepherd allegedly misreported what she had been told.
The court was informed that the incident occurred during an adventure training exercise at Thorney Island in Hampshire. On the morning of July 13, 2021, Gunner Beck was found asleep in her car. She told Major Hook that Warrant Officer Michael Webber, 43, had attempted to kiss her and touched her leg inappropriately. Major Hook reportedly gave Gunner Beck until noon that day to decide whether she wanted to make a formal complaint, a delay the prosecution characterized as potentially 'leaning on her.'
It is alleged that Major Hook informed Gunner Beck that Warrant Officer Webber would 'almost certainly' face trouble if a complaint was made. The prosecutor suggested that Major Hook was skeptical of Gunner Beck's account, believing she might be lying because she did not want to be on the training exercise. Major Hook later reportedly told a more senior officer that Warrant Officer Webber had 'made a pass' at Gunner Beck.
Further allegations state that Colonel Shepherd discussed the incident with Gunner Beck but deliberately omitted details about the alleged touching when reporting the matter to Captain Mae King, the adjutant responsible for discipline at the 14 Regiment Royal Artillery. The prosecution deemed it 'not credible' that Colonel Shepherd could have forgotten to relay this crucial detail.
The court also heard that Gunner Beck later received a written apology from Warrant Officer Webber. Both Colonel Shepherd and Major Hook deny the charge against them. The trial is ongoing.