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An ex- Army sergeant major has been given six months in prison for committing sexual assault against a teenage servicewoman who subsequently died by suicide.

Warrant Officer Michael Webber, forty-three, held down service member the young woman and attempted to force a kiss on her in the summer of 2021. She was located without signs of life five months later in her barracks at the Wiltshire base.

The convicted individual, who was sentenced at the legal proceedings in Wiltshire previously, will be placed in a public jail and registered as offender database for seven years.

The family matriarch Leighann Mcready commented: "His actions, and how the Army failed to protect our young woman afterwards, led to her death."

Official Reaction

The armed forces stated it failed to hear the servicewoman, who was a native of Oxen Park in Cumbria, when she disclosed the incident and has expressed regret for its response to her complaint.

Following an investigation of the tragic death, the accused pleaded guilty to a single charge of sexual assault in last fall.

The grieving parent said her young woman could have been present with her loved ones in court today, "to observe the man she accused held accountable for his actions."

"Rather, we appear in her absence, living a life sentence that no relatives should ever experience," she stated further.

"She complied with procedures, but the individuals in charge failed in their duties. These shortcomings broke our young woman utterly."

PA

Judicial Process

The judicial body was advised that the assault occurred during an field exercise at the training location, near Emsworth in Hampshire, in mid-2021.

Webber, a Sergeant Major at the moment, attempted physical intimacy towards the soldier subsequent to an social gathering while on assignment for a training exercise.

The servicewoman stated the accused stated he had been "waiting for a moment for them to be in private" before taking hold of her, restraining her, and making unwanted advances.

She reported the incident against the accused following the violation, despite attempts by commanding officers to convince her against reporting.

An inquest into her death found the armed forces' response of the complaint played "more than a minimal contributing factor in her death."

Mother's Testimony

In a account read out to the tribunal previously, the parent, said: "Our daughter had recently celebrated a teenager and will eternally stay a youth full of life and laughter."

"She believed people to defend her and following the assault, the faith was gone. She was very upset and terrified of Michael Webber."

"I observed the difference personally. She felt vulnerable and abandoned. That violation broke her faith in the set-up that was meant to look after her."

Sentencing Remarks

When announcing the verdict, Judge Advocate General Alan Large stated: "We need to assess whether it can be dealt with in an alternative approach. We do not consider it can."

"We conclude the gravity of the crime means it can only be dealt with by incarceration."

He told Webber: "She had the bravery and wisdom to demand you halt and instructed you to leave the area, but you carried on to the point she believed she would remain in danger from you even when she returned to her personal quarters."

He stated further: "The following day, she reported the incident to her family, her friends and her chain of command."

"After the complaint, the unit decided to address your behavior with minor administrative action."

"You were interviewed and you admitted your behavior had been improper. You prepared a written apology."

"Your career proceeded completely unaffected and you were eventually elevated to senior position."

Background Information

At the inquest into the tragic passing, the investigating officer said military leadership pressured her to withdraw the complaint, and only reported it to a superior officers "when the cat was already out of the bag."

At the time, the sergeant was given a "light disciplinary meeting" with no serious repercussions.

The inquest was additionally informed that just weeks after the assault the soldier had also been exposed to "continuous bullying" by a separate individual.

Bombardier Ryan Mason, her superior officer, directed toward her numerous text messages declaring attachments for her, accompanied by a fifteen-page "romantic narrative" outlining his "personal thoughts."

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Organizational Reaction

The armed forces said it provided its "heartfelt apologies" to the soldier and her relatives.

"We continue to be profoundly sorry for the shortcomings that were identified at the formal investigation in early this year."

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