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British Army officers charged over their conduct towards Jaysley Beck

Jaysley Beck's mother calls Army statement on her death 'empty words'

Two British Army officers, Major James Hook and Colonel Samantha Shepherd, have been charged over their conduct relating to Gunner Jaysley Beck, who took her own life in 2021.
Gunner Beck, 19, was sexually assaulted months before her death, and an inquest found the incident and the Army's inadequate response 'more than minimally' contributed to her suicide.
Former senior non-commissioned officer Michael Webber was jailed for six months in 2025 after admitting to sexually assaulting Gunner Beck, an incident that was not reported to police at the time.
The Ministry of Defence confirmed charges under Section 19 of the Armed Forces Act for conduct prejudicial to good order and service discipline, with legal proceedings ongoing.
Following Gunner Beck's death, the MoD has established a serious crime command, launched a violence against women and girls taskforce, and agreed to remove serious complaint handling from individual services.