He said: “It is not difficult to imagine the extent of the adverse effect this must have had on Jaysley.” The coroner said that under army rules, Mason’s actions amounted to “unwelcome sexual attention” and “harassment”.
The coroner said Beck was “sufficiently terrified” by the alleged attack from Battery Sgt Maj Michael Webber, which she said included him putting his hands between her legs, that she fled from him and slept in her car.
The coroner said Beck’s line manager, Bombardier Ryan Mason, had sent her an “onslaught” of “inappropriate” messages in the autumn and winter of 2021 that “clearly breached army codes of conduct”.
The handling of complaints must be taken out of the hands of the army and there must be an urgent, full independent review of safeguarding mechanisms for the youngest recruits in the army and at the Army Foundation College in particular.
Rheinberg said Beck had been put under “constant pressure” by Mason and witnesses had said she was frightened by his behaviour, which she considered “psychotic and possessive”.
