THE mother of a soldier who killed herself after being sexually assaulted has accused the Army of a “cover up”.
Leighann McCready blamed the MoD for Jaysley Beck’s death and called for outside organisations to investigate future complaints made by soldiers.
Royal Artillery Gunner Jaysley, 19, was found hanged in her barracks at Larkhill Camp, Wiltshire, in December 2021.
After a nine-day inquest, Coroner Nicholas Rheinberg yesterday said Jaysley committed suicide following harassment by Bombardier Ryan Mason and sexual assault by Battery Sergeant Major Michael Webber.
He condemned the Army for “systemic failure” in its handling of a complaint by Jaysley.
Ms McCready said: “I believe it was a cover-up. It’s been made clear through the findings the Army have failed our daughter.”
She added 700 male and female soldiers had told her about their own experiences since the inquest began.
Jaysley had filed a complaint against Webber after he “pinned her down” and tried to kiss her at a work social.
The inquest was also told she had been relentlessly harassed by Mason, her line manager.
Brigadier Melissa Emmett formally apologised on behalf of the Army and said it “should have done so much more to support and protect her”.
