Senior Army officer cleared of failing to handle abuse allegations

A senior Army officer has been cleared of failing to properly deal with abuse allegations made by a teenage soldier who took her own life.

Col Samantha Shepherd has been on trial at Military Court Centre at Catterick Garrison in North Yorkshire, in connection with the handling of concerns raised by Gunner Jaysley Beck, from Cumbria.

The 19-year-old took her own life at Larkhill Camp in Wiltshire in 2021 after former Battery Sgt Michael Webber "pinned her down" and sexually assaulted her.

A board - which consisted of an Air Commodore, a Royal Navy captain and an Army colonel - returned a not guilty verdict for Shepherd, on the directions of a judge.

Assistant Judge Advocate General Edward Legard had told the board: "The Crown has concluded that there is insufficient evidence upon which you can safely convict Colonel Shepherd of the charge she faces."

Shepherd's barrister Derek Johashen said: "Colonel Shepherd is relieved by the decision.

"But it's not about her."

Johashen said his client fully understood the impact on Gunner Beck's family.

He said: "Her thoughts remain with them, and always will.

"She always believed Gunner Beck, took her complaint seriously, listened to her and cared."

Shepherd has been in court alongside Maj James Hook, whose trial continues.

The two senior officers were accused of "conduct prejudicial to good order and service discipline".

On Tuesday, the military court heard claims the 19-year-old had been "let down" when she told Shepherd and Hook "enough to understand that she may have been sexually assaulted" five months before she took her own life.

The board was told a chain of command failed to properly deal with the case.

Hook and Shepherd were charged by the Service Prosecution Authority over their handling of the case earlier this year.

In October, Webber was jailed for six months for sexual assault.

The attack happened at a Royal Artillery adventure training exercise on Thorney Island, in Chichester Harbour, in July 2021.

At the time, Minister for Veterans and People, Louise Sandher-Jones MP described Jaysley's death as a "tragedy".

She said: "Let me be clear, there is no place for criminal or unacceptable behaviours within the military."

Assistant chief of general staff Maj Gen Jon Swift said the Army was "sorry we didn't listen to Jaysley when she first reported her assault".

He added: "We are determined to make sure the same mistakes don't happen again."