There needs to be a “clamp down” on abusive behaviour in the armed forces following the death of soldier Jaysley Beck, Defence Secretary John Healey has said.
The 19-year-old Royal Artillery Gunner was found hanged in her room at Larkhill Camp in Wiltshire on December 15, 2021.
An inquest last week found that the Army’s failure to take action after she was harassed by her line manager contributed to her suicide.
Mr Healey told BBC Breakfast: “My thoughts are with Jaysley’s family. Her death was a tragedy it should never have happened. She was a bright young Army recruit with her whole life and a bright career in front of her.”
He said that “we have to, and we have made clear that we’ll have zero tolerance for that sort of abuse and harassment”.
He said: “Jaysley’s family have said what they would really like is an independent look at this pattern that in the past has been too prevalent in the British armed forces of such harassment and abuse, and that’s exactly what we’re legislating for the moment.”
Mr Healey said “people have been dismissed from service where they do not carry out their duties as senior officers, or they’re responsible for any of this sort of behaviour.
“We have to clamp down on it, we will. We have to support victims, and we are.
“But we are also legislating for an independent armed forces commissioner that will be an independent champion and voice that will be able to look at such issues in the future which can’t be done now and that will be an important step in improving service life for the future.”
The inquest also ruled that “on the balance of probabilities”, Gunner Beck had been sexually assaulted by another senior colleague and the Army’s failure to take appropriate action contributed to her death.
After the hearing, her mother Leighann McCready, of Oxen Park, Cumbria, accused the Army of a “cover-up” and called on the Government to make sure complaints by soldiers were dealt with by an external organisation.
