Colonel cleared of not properly handling allegations by soldier who killed herself

A senior army officer has been cleared by a court martial of failing to deal properly with allegations made by a teenage soldier who went on to kill herself.Col Samantha Shepherd had been accused of “conduct prejudicial to good order and service discipline” over the case of 19-year-old Gunner Jaysley Beck, who took her own life in December 2021.But on Wednesday, Assistant Judge Advocate Gen Edward Legard told the court the crown had concluded there was insufficient evidence upon which Shepherd could be safely convicted.The board, which consisted of an RAF air commodore, a navy captain and an army colonel, formally returned a not guilty verdict and Shepherd left the court.Shepherd was on trial at the military court centre at Catterick Garrison, in North Yorkshire, alongside Maj James Hook.Opening the case on Tuesday, the prosecution alleged that both senior officers “let down” Beck when she told them about an incident which had happened on an adventure training exercise on Thorney Island, in Chichester Harbour, in July 2021.The court martial board was told Beck had informed both officers about behaviour towards her by a warrant officer, Michael Webber, at a social event during the exercise.Cdr Paul Patterson, for the crown, had claimed the young soldier “told each of them enough to understand that she may have been sexually assaulted”.The trial of Hook continues. On Wednesday, the board heard a summary of an interview he gave to military police.Hook said that Beck told him Webber had “made a pass at her” and it was possible she also said he tried to kiss her. He said he asked her if Webber had forced himself on her, or if she felt threatened by him. She had replied: “No.”Hook said he knew Beck was not enjoying the adventure exercise. He said: “She had complained about being there … it caused me to question the veracity of the allegation. I didn’t say I disbelieved her but that was definitely going through my mind. She was saying all she wanted was to return to Larkhill [barracks]. I had at the back of my mind this might be a spurious thing to get away from the training package.”Hook said Beck told him she didn’t want “anything bad” to happen to Webber. He replied that if he was investigated and found guilty almost certainly something would happen to Webber. He added: “That was not to discourage Gunner Beck. That was to make her aware of the consequences.”Hook added: “I thought everything I did was empowering and supporting her in making the right decision.” He said he had reported what Beck had said to others, including her immediate boss, and added: “Thereafter the matter was taken away from me.”The trial continues. In the UK and Ireland, Samaritans can be contacted on freephone 116 123. In the US, you can call or text the 988 Suicide & Crisis Lifeline at 988 or chat at 988lifeline.org. In Australia, the crisis support service Lifeline is 13 11 14. Other international helplines can be found at befrienders.org