Two senior Army officers have been cleared of all charges at Catterick Military Court following a trial into the handling of sexual assault allegations made by the late Gunner Jaysley Beck.
Colonel Samantha Shepherd and Major James Hook were found not guilty on 16 September 2026 of conduct prejudicial to good order and service discipline. The charges, brought under Section 19 of the Armed Forces Act, related to how the officers responded to reports made by Gunner Beck before her death in December 2021.
Judge Advocate General Edward Legard directed the not guilty verdicts on the third day of the trial, stating there was insufficient evidence to safely convict the pair.
The court heard that the original incident reported by Gunner Beck took place during an adventure training exercise on Thorney Island, in Chichester Harbour, in July 2021.
In his ruling, Judge Legard determined that Major Hook had “no case to answer,” describing the prosecution’s evidence as “inconsistent, vague and tenuous.” Both officers have now been formally acquitted of any criminal misconduct regarding the administrative handling of the complaint.
The court martial followed a lengthy investigation into the circumstances surrounding the death of 19-year-old Gunner Beck. While the officers were cleared of the specific charges regarding service discipline, a previous inquest found that the Army’s handling of the initial complaint had contributed “more than minimally” to her death.
In 2025, Warrant Officer Michael Webber was jailed for six months for the sexual assault of Gunner Beck during the Thorney Island exercise.
Following the conclusion of the court martial, Defence Secretary Wes Streeting stated that the Army has accepted all findings identified by the Service Inquiry into the case. The Ministry of Defence has since implemented a series of reforms intended to improve the reporting and handling of serious offences within the military.
These changes include the establishment of the Defence Serious Crime Command and a strengthened Victim Witness Care Unit. The government has also appointed the first Armed Forces Commissioner to provide independent oversight of service life and internal culture.
The Army has encouraged anyone experiencing or witnessing a sexual offence within the services to seek support and report incidents through the Defence Serious Crime Command.
