Soldier, 19, found dead after being sent ‘3,600 texts in a month’ by boss was also ‘pinned down by officer trying to kiss her’
Warning: This article contains discussion of suicide which some readers may find distressing
A 19-year-old soldier who was found dead at her base camp had been 'pinned down by an officer trying to kiss her' just a few months before her death.
Jaysley Beck was a Royal Artillery Gunner based at Larkhill Camp in Wiltshire, when she passed away in December 2021.
An inquest this week heard that the teenager became 'scared' by 'psychotic and possessive' behaviour from her boss in the months prior to her death, as she believed he had hacked her phone.
Advert
The 'intense period' of messaging was from Bombardier Ryan Mason, and a service inquiry report published in October 2023 found it to be a 'casual factor' in her passing, Sky News reports.
It is said that Jaysley was sent a number of texts between October and December 2021, with 3,600 messages in November alone.
Some of the texts from Mason read: “Love you Jayse. As a friend,” and “I will always be there along for the ride with you, I have said it before but you’re stuck with me forever now. I love you x As a friend, I love you.”
One particular message prompted a response, as she wrote on 25 November: “This whole falling in love with me, its becoming a bit too much, I have just come out of a relationship and I’m just not wanting to be involved in anything like this.
“It’s weighing me down a little bit, I’ll be totally honest with you. Totally honest here, I just don’t want to hear how you feel about me.”
As the inquest continued on Tuesday (11 February), the court heard how Jaysley was also allegedly 'pinned down' by another colleague, Battery Sergeant Major Michael Webber, after a work social event in July 2021.
Lance Bombardier Kirsty Davis told the court how, following an adventure training exercise at Thorney Island, near Emsworth in Hampshire, Jaysley had rang her in tears.
"He was trying to kiss her and she was trying to push him away, but he was pinning her down," she said.
"Jaysley had told him no, tried to get away from him but he had persisted so she left. Jaysley was in tears, she was upset. I think she was just frightened at what was going on."
Meanwhile, Lance Corporal Drew Tudor said he found Jaysley sleeping in her car the next morning.
"Straight away I knew that something was up. She turned around and burst into tears, she was clearly in distress," he said.
"Jaysley confided in me that Michael Webber had done something to her, touched her or tried to touch her, instigating something.
"I told her we need to say something because it's not right, which she wasn't overly keen on."
The court heard how Webber underwent a 'minor sanction' and wrote a letter of apology to Jaysley after she issued a complaint.
"Jaysley wasn't happy with what had happened but if you are in the Army and a lower rank no-one will believe you, especially against a higher rank," said Davis.
"She didn't want to get into trouble or cause a drama."
The inquest continues.
If you’ve been affected by any of these issues and want to speak to someone in confidence, please don’t suffer alone. Call Samaritans for free on their anonymous 24-hour phone line on 116 123.
Lucy Devine