Coroner to give conclusion at inquest into death of teenage soldier

A coroner is to give his conclusion on Thursday at the inquest of a teenage soldier who was found dead after being “bombarded” with messages from her “psychotic and possessive” boss.

Royal Artillery Gunner Jaysley Beck was found hanged in her room at Larkhill Camp in Wiltshire on December 15 2021.

The Salisbury inquest heard the 19-year-old had complained to her family about the “possessive and psychotic” behaviour of her boss, Ryan Mason, a bombardier at the time.

The hearing was told the senior soldier, who had mental health issues and had previously self-harmed, had sent Gunner Beck more than 1,000 messages in October that year and 3,600 in November, and had spoken of his love for her.

Her mother, Leighann McCready, of Oxen Park, Cumbria, said her daughter “did not feel safe” as Mr Mason’s behaviour intensified, and the teenager feared he had hacked her phone and was watching her.

An Army service inquiry report published in October 2023 described this as “an intense period of unwelcome behaviour”, and said it was “almost certain this was a causal factor” in her death.

Mr Mason, who served in the Core Engagement Team (CET) with Gunner Beck but left the Army in the same month as her death, denied he had tried to “manipulate” her by putting pressure on her by talking about his own mental health and suicide concerns.

The hearing was also told that Gunner Beck had made a complaint against another senior soldier, Battery Sergeant Major Michael Webber, during a stay at Thorney Island, near Emsworth in Hampshire, in July 2021 for an adventure training exercise.

She said he had “made a pass” at her, put his hand between her legs and “pinned her down” while trying to kiss her, the inquest heard.

Gunner Beck, who joined the Army at 16, had been left scared by the incident and ended up sleeping in her car for safety, the hearing was told.

The married soldier, who is now of Warrant Officer 2 rank, declined to answer questions at the inquest.

WO2 Webber had been ordered to write a letter to Gunner Beck after the incident, which he said had been an attempt at a “genuine apology”.

The Army service inquiry report said this “minor sanction” was “possibly a factor that may have influenced her failure to report other events that happened subsequently”.

The report added that family issues, including a bereavement, were also responsible for Gunner Beck’s death, which her family reject.

It detailed three “contributory factors” to Gunner Beck’s death, including the “significant strain” of a sexual relationship with a married colleague in the last few weeks of her life; a relationship which ended in November 2021 which involved “repeated allegations of unfaithfulness on the part of the boyfriend”; and an “unhealthy approach to alcohol, with episodes of binge drinking”.

It added that Gunner Beck had no diagnosed mental health conditions and had not sought welfare support from anyone in the Army.

Brigadier Melissa Emmett, head of the Army Personnel Services Group, apologised at the inquest to Gunner Beck’s family and said the force formally accepts there were failures.

Nicholas Rheinberg, assistant coroner for Wiltshire and Swindon, has said he will give his conclusion at 12pm on Thursday February 20.