Colonel cleared of not properly handling allegations of soldier who killed herself
Colonel Samantha Shepherd was acquitted by a court martial of failing to properly handle allegations made by 19-year-old soldier Jaysley Beck, who died by suicide in December 2021. The prosecution argued that Shepherd and Major James Hook let Beck down regarding a sexual assault claim, but the judge ruled there was insufficient evidence to convict Shepherd. The trial for Major Hook is ongoing, with the board currently reviewing his testimony about his interactions with Beck.
- ▪Colonel Samantha Shepherd was found not guilty of conduct prejudicial to good order and service discipline in the case of Gunner Jaysley Beck.
- ▪Beck, a 19-year-old Royal Artillery Gunner, took her own life in December 2021 after reporting an incident involving a warrant officer during a training exercise.
- ▪The prosecution alleged that Shepherd and Major James Hook failed to adequately support Beck when she disclosed potential sexual assault.
- ▪Major James Hook's trial continues, with his defense arguing that he supported Beck and reported her concerns to her immediate supervisor.
- ▪The court martial took place at the military court centre at Catterick Garrison in North Yorkshire.
2 outlets in our directory ran this story. All of the coverage we found sits in one bucket: centre. That one-sidedness is itself worth noticing.
- ▪ Colonel cleared over handling of soldier abuse case — BBC News — UK
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| Original publisher | The Guardian — World |
| Canonical URL | https://www.theguardian.com/uk-news/2026/sep/16/colonel-samantha-shepherd-court-martial-jaysley-beck |
| Publication time | Wed, 16 Sep 2026 12:07:51 GMT |
| Retrieval time | 2026-09-16T12:28:41.477Z |
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Royal Artillery Gunner Jaysley Beck, who took her own life in December 2021. Photograph: PAView image in fullscreenRoyal Artillery Gunner Jaysley Beck, who took her own life in December 2021. Photograph: PAUK newsColonel cleared of not properly handling allegations by soldier who killed herselfSamantha Shepherd faced court martial over case of 19-year-old Jaysley Beck, who had made a sexual assault claimSteven MorrisWed 16 Sep 2026 08.07 EDTLast modified on Wed 16 Sep 2026 08.28 EDTSharePrefer the Guardian on GoogleA senior army officer has been cleared by a court martial of failing to deal properly with allegations made by a teenage soldier who went on to kill herself.Col Samantha Shepherd had been accused of “conduct prejudicial to good order and service discipline” over the case of…
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