The inquest into the death of Gunner Jaysley-Louise Beck of 47 Regiment Royal Artillery, who died in Larkhill on 15th December 2021 has concluded in Salisbury today. Assistant Coroner for Wiltshire and Swindon Mr Nicholas Rheinberg delivered a verdict of suicide.
Brigadier Melissa Emmett, Head of Army Personnel Services Group (APSG), said:
On behalf of the Chief of the General Staff, I wish to extend the Army’s deepest condolences to Jaysley’s family and friends and to offer them our sincerest apologies for the failings that the Coroner has identified during this inquest; we should have done so much more to support and protect her.
Jaysley was exactly the kind of person the Army needs, and she was excelling at her job. Her friends described her as someone who was kind, funny and always putting others before herself.
The three years since Jaysley’s sad death have seen significant changes in the Army, including the introduction of clear and unequivocal policies to state that there will be Zero Tolerance to unacceptable sexual behaviours. These changes are being embedded throughout our culture, policies, and enduring practices across every part of the Army.
There is more work to do, and the evidence heard in this inquest reminds us how important it is to make lasting and effective change. It is my hope that such change will give service personnel the confidence they need to report sexual offences and inappropriate behaviours, knowing that they will be listened to. We are absolutely clear that everyone must play a role in building and upholding the respectful, professional environment we all need to thrive.
We welcome the independent scrutiny provided by this inquest process and acknowledge the professionalism of all those involved in the detailed examination of the circumstances surrounding Jaysley’s death.
At the heart of this is a grieving family and I want to conclude by paying tribute to them. They have been remarkable; from the support they gave us during the conduct of our Service Inquiry, to the dignity and fortitude they have shown through the inquest, and for the compassion they have shown many of the young witnesses during these proceedings.