In December 2021, the British Army was shaken by the tragic death of 19-year-old Gunner Jaysley Beck at Larkhill Camp in Wiltshire. An inquest into her death has unveiled a distressing pattern of harassment and abuse by her superiors, shedding light on systemic issues within military ranks.
Gunner Beck had been subjected to relentless harassment by her superior, Bombardier Ryan Mason. Evidence presented during the inquest revealed that Mason inundated her with over 3,500 unsolicited messages in the month leading up to her death, expressing obsessive declarations of love and exhibiting possessive behavior. Beck confided in her mother about feeling overwhelmed and fearful, suspecting that Mason had even hacked her phone. Tragically, these concerns were not adequately addressed, and Beck did not receive the necessary support.
Further compounding her distress, Beck had previously reported an incident involving another superior, Battery Sergeant Major Michael Webber, who allegedly pinned her down and attempted to kiss her in July 2021. This incident, along with Mason’s harassment and other personal stressors, contributed to a deteriorating mental state. Despite these challenges, Beck had not sought mental health support, highlighting potential gaps in the support systems available to service members.
The Ministry of Defence conducted an inquiry, concluding in October 2023 that the inappropriate behaviors of her superiors were causal factors in Beck’s death. This case has prompted a broader examination of the military’s handling of harassment and the effectiveness of its support structures for personnel facing such issues.
This incident is not isolated. Similar cases, such as the 2020 murder of U.S. Army Specialist Vanessa Guillén, who was sexually harassed by a superior before her death, have sparked widespread calls for reform in how military institutions address harassment and protect their members.
The inquest into Gunner Beck’s death continues, with hopes that it will lead to meaningful changes within the military to prevent such tragedies in the future.
