Colonel cleared over handling of soldier abuse case

A senior Army officer has been cleared of failing to properly deal with abuse allegations made by a teenage soldier who took her own life. Col Samantha Shepherd has been on trial at Military Court Centre at Catterick Garrison in North Yorkshire, in connection with the handling of concerns raised by Gunner Jaysley Beck, from Cumbria. The 19-year-old took her own life at Larkhill Camp in Wiltshire in 2021 after former Battery Sgt Michael Webber pinned her down and sexually assaulted her. A board - which consisted of an Air Commodore, a Royal Navy captain and an Army colonel - returned a not guilty verdict for Shepherd, on the directions of a judge. Assistant Judge Advocate General Edward Legard had told the board: The Crown has concluded that there is insufficient evidence upon which you can safely convict Colonel Shepherd of the charge she faces.