Senior Army Officer Acquitted of Cover-Up in Soldier's Suicide Case
Colonel Samantha Shepherd cleared of suppressing sexual assault allegation after soldier Jaysley Beck's death.
A senior Army officer has been acquitted of attempting to cover up a sexual assault allegation made by a teenage soldier who later died by suicide. Colonel Samantha Shepherd, regimental colonel of the Royal Artillery, was cleared on Wednesday after the prosecution withdrew the charge against her on the second day of her court martial trial.
The charge stemmed from an allegation of sexual assault by Gunner Jaysley Beck, 19, following a social event during a training exercise in July 2021. Gunner Beck was found dead at her barracks in Wiltshire five months later.
Colonel Shepherd had been accused of deliberately suppressing the allegation of sexual touching made by Warrant Officer Michael Webber, 43, against Gunner Beck. It was alleged that Colonel Shepherd failed to pass on the full details of the incident to the regimental adjutant responsible for discipline, in an effort to avoid a service police investigation into her regiment.
Commander Paul Patterson, prosecuting, informed the Military Court Centre at Catterick Garrison, North Yorkshire, that the charge against Colonel Shepherd was being withdrawn, citing insufficient evidence. Judge Advocate Edward Legard directed the court martial board to return a verdict of not guilty.
Colonel Shepherd was acquitted of conduct prejudicial to good order and discipline under the Armed Forces Act 2006. Her co-defendant, Major James Hook, who was in charge of the training course where the alleged assault occurred, remains on trial facing the same charge.
The court was told that Gunner Beck took her own life in December 2021. The incident occurred in July 2021 at a social event during an adventure training exercise at Thorney Island in Hampshire, where Warrant Officer Webber allegedly attempted to kiss her and touched her leg in a sexual manner. Gunner Beck was found in her car in an upset state by Lance Corporal Drew Tudor shortly after the incident.
She first reported the incident to Major Hook, then a captain. According to the prosecution, Hook gave Gunner Beck until noon that day to decide whether she wanted to make a formal complaint, an action the prosecutor suggested may have been perceived as pressuring her. The prosecution also alleged that Hook attempted to discourage her from filing a complaint by suggesting Warrant Officer Webber would likely face severe consequences.