An inquest has revealed that 19-year-old Royal Artillery Gunner Jaysley Beck was found dead at her base in Wiltshire, UK, after being harassed by her superior, Bombardier Ryan Mason. Beck had received 3,600 WhatsApp messages from Mason in a single month, describing his behavior as “psychotic and possessive.”
Beck repeatedly told Mason she was uncomfortable with his advances, even accusing him of “stalking” her and believing he had hacked her phone. At one point, she opted to sleep in her car instead of her quarters to avoid him. In a final unsent message, she wrote, “I honestly feel trapped… this is not normal behavior.”
Her mother, Leighann McCready, testified that Beck felt unsafe and feared Mason knew her whereabouts at all times. An army report later concluded that the “intense period” of harassment was “almost certainly” a factor in her death.
Despite previous complaints about inappropriate behavior in the military, Beck had not reported Mason’s actions. The case has renewed scrutiny over how the armed forces handle harassment and mental health support for young recruits.
