A teenage soldier who is thought to have killed herself over Army sexual harassment was bombarded by ‘I love you’ texts from her ‘possessive and psychotic’ boss, an inquest heard today.
Tragic Gunner Jaysley Beck, 19, received a ‘relentless’ barrage of messages from her infatuated manager Bombardier Ryan Mason, a hearing was told. Bdr Mason – named for the first time today – told her ‘You’re amazing Jaysley’ and ‘I do love you Jaysley’ as he sent her thousands of messages.
Gnr Beck, of the Royal Artillery, told her mother ‘it was becoming creepy’ and feared Bdr Mason ‘hacked’ her mobile phone.
Grieving mother Leighann McCready told her daughter’s inquest that Bdr Mason knew where she was and once messaged her saying ‘Jaysley Beck I know you’re standing at the bottom of the building on your telephone’.
Gnr Beck, who joined the Army at 16, was found dead in single living accommodation in Larkhill Camp in Wiltshire on December 15 2021. Her suspected suicide prompted an Army service inquiry, which found in October 2023 that ‘unwelcome’ harassment was a ‘causal factor’ in her death.
As Gnr Beck’s two week inquest got underway today at Salisbury Coroner’s Court, Wilts, it was heard Gnr Beck and Bdr Mason’s relationship started normally but he began ‘overstepping the mark’ and she became ‘scared’ of him.
Mrs McCready, giving evidence, said her daughter did not want to inform anyone about Bdr Mason’s behaviour as she did not want to be known as ‘the female trouble-maker’. This was because the young soldier had already reported another married Sergeant who put his hand ‘between her legs’ and ‘inappropriately touched’ her.
Salisbury Coroners Court, Wilts, heard after graduating from training in February 2020, she was posted to the 14th Regiment Royal Artillery. In February 2021, she joined the Corps Engagement Team where she was line managed by Bdr Mason, who was ‘really struggling with his mental health’.
The inquest heard that from when they met, a ‘great number of messages’ between the pair ensued. It was heard in November 2021 the Bombardier sent her 3,600 messages.
Mrs McCready said Bdr Mason started ‘overstepping the mark’ and took advantage of Ms Beck’s ‘ friendliness and kind nature’. “She made us aware that it was becoming creepy now,” Mrs McCready said. “It was relentless. He was throwing things at her constantly because of her kind, caring nature, he knew that she would be there to support him. He did constantly keep saying that he wanted to leave and the more she grew a good working relationship with other males, he did not like that.”
Mrs McCready said her daughter, from Oxen Park in Cumbria, told her ‘he’s actually scaring me now mum’ as the behaviour from Bdr Mason became more intense. “He wouldn’t allow other males to work alongside her,” she said. “Ryan Mason, being her senior, was stopping her other colleagues from going away on these adventures with her. It became apparent – his possessive behaviour towards Jaysley.”
In one message, the Bombardier told Gnr Beck: “You seriously make everything go away. Even though obviously there’s nothing there, just you being you, being funny as fuck, being to the point and being your genuine self.”
In another, he said: “You’re amazing Jaysley, I appreciate you so much, I love everything about you, even your flaws and I’m so grateful to call you my friend… You are stuck with me forever now. It’s signed and sealed, I love you x.” He followed this up with: “As a friend that is. It’s perfectly fine to love a friend.”
On another occasion, Bdr Mason said: “I do love you Jaysley. I know you’ll be sick of hearing it. And I know you think I’m confused. But you don’t see what I see or feel what I feel. It’s everything about you. Absolutely everything other than your ability to stick to plans, that gets quite annoying. I could go in depth for a full day about it and I know you don’t want to hear it at all…”
The inquest heard Gnr Beck felt that the messages from Bdr Mason were becoming more ‘intense’ as time went on. In response to one messages, Ms Beck told him: “This whole falling in love with me it’s becoming a bit too much I’ve just come out of a relationship, I’m just not wanting to be involved in anything like this. It’s weighing me down a little bit…” On another occasion, she told him: “Totally honest here, I just don’t want to hear how you feel about me.”
The inquest heard that Gnr Beck found one occasion particularly concerning as Bdr Mason had messaged Gnr Beck whilst he was away from camp. Mrs McCready said: “There was a time that she was on the phone to me and she said ‘mum I think he’s hacked my phone’. She said ‘he knows exactly where I’m standing’.” Her mother said Gnr Beck received a message from Bdr Mason which said ‘Jaysley Beck I know you’re standing at the bottom of the building on your telephone’.
The inquest heard of an incident involving Bdr Mason and Gnr Beck which took place on December 7 at The Chequers Hotel in Newbury, Berkshire. McCready said that at 10 past seven in the evening, she phoned her and appeared ‘absolutely heart broken’ and was ‘trembling’ as she spoke’.
Gnr Beck allegedly told her mother ‘I need to get out of here’ and ‘I believe Ryan is listening to me now’ and he was ‘freaking’ her out. When asked what had occurred, the teenager just ‘couldn’t get her words out’ and described Bdr Mason as being ‘possessive and psychotic’. In a message she planned on sending to him, she said: “I honestly feel trapped in this whole situation… I have tried to act as normal as possible because we are working together but nothing is normal about this behaviour.”
Mrs McCready said her daughter didn’t ‘want to be known as a female trouble-maker’, adding: “With her being female, she didn’t feel that they were seen as higher as the male soldier. The males are more dominant within the army as opposed to equal.”
The inquest heard of an incident which took place in July 2021 involving a married Sergeant who ‘made a pass’ at her and ‘inappropriately touched’ the teenager. Her mum said: “I think he was much older than her. She told me that she said ‘get off me sir’ but he wouldn’t and he kept pushing and pushing and put his hands between her legs.”
The inquest heard she slept in her car after the incident because she was worried the Sergeant, who had a wife and child, would ‘come looking for me’. Gnr Beck was said to have been ‘deeply upset’ by the event which resulted in him writing her an apology letter.
Gnr Beck was upset to have read that the Sergeant told her his ‘door will always be open’ for her. Mrs McCready said her daughter put her ‘heart and soul’ into the army and remarked that she was ‘proud of the service despite how disorganised the army was’. She later said that drinking was ‘highly encouraged’ in the army.
The inquest, expected to last two weeks, continues.
If you are affected by this story there are many people who would be happy to talk to you:
Samaritans
If you need to talk and don’t know where to turn to, the Samaritans operate a free helpline open 24/7 on 116 123. Alternatively you can email jo@samaritans.org or visit the website to find your local branch.
SANEline
If you or somebody you know is experiencing a mental health problem, SANEline’s helpline is open between 4.30pm and 10.30pm every day on 0300 304 7000.
Mind
The mental health charity Mind has resources aimed at helping you cope with and plan for a crisis. Visit their website for details on helplines, how to access crisis services and what to do if you’re unable to get help yourself. Support line: 0300 102 1234
*In an emergency, dial 999 for urgent help
