A YOUNG soldier died at a Wiltshire camp after months of “controlling, sexual harassment from her boss”, a report has found.
Teenager, Gnr Jaysley Beck, is believed to have taken her own life after being found dead at Larkhill Camp in December 2021.
Now, a service inquiry report into the circumstances surrounding the 19-year-old’s death highlights “an intense period of unwelcome behaviour from her immediate line manager”, who is not named.
This behaviour “stems from the fact that it appears he wanted a relationship with her”, the report goes on, feelings “which were not reciprocated”.
“While the actions of (the line manager) ceased a few days before her death, it is assessed that the toll it took on her would have left her in a very fragile state from which she appears not to have recovered,” the report concludes.
The document, which heard from witnesses and detailed a timeline surrounding Gnr beck’s death, also details a relationship between the teen and a married senior non-commissioned officer (SNCO), as well as the death of a relative, in factors surrounding her death.
The senior officers were “significantly older and more senior in rank to her”, it said, and had shown “discreditable moral behaviour”.
The end of a long-term relationship was also cited as a factor, as well as an “unhealthy approach to alcohol”, and that she was drinking on the night she passed away.
An unwanted advance by a senior colleague in July 2021, after a party at Larkhill, resulted in a report up the chain of command, the report said.
However, despite the claim being “taken seriously”, “the correct reporting process was not followed”.
“The unit took action … but the appointed investigating officer did not carry out his own investigation and while advice on discipline action was sought … this was done verbally and not in writing,” it went on.
“As a result, the discipline advice was based on a version of events from which certain key details appear to have been accidentally omitted.”
The report lists a number of recommendations over “unacceptable behaviour” at Larkhill that had “become normalised” at the garrison.
Briefings and training on acceptable behaviour and alcohol misuse were among recommended steps, as well as training on mental health and suicide prevention, combined with improved monitoring of soldiers’ health and help when experiencing bereavement.
An inquest to officially determine hoe Gnr Beck died has not yet been held.
The Centre for Military Justice, which is representing Gnr Beck’s family, said: “In this report, the panel found significant evidence of inappropriate sexual behaviour from male soldiers towards female soldiers at Larkhill Garrison, with one witness describing routinely receiving comments from male soldiers that were ‘vile’ and ‘degrading’.”
I can’t believe that this is still happening, this was the same situation for me when I was serving.
In 2003 the difference was I married. When I reported it I was questioned by higher ranks what did I do first because I was actually physically groped multiple times a day. It was such a horrible time and my husband who was also serving was treated really bad too all because I reported it.