Supervisor of tragic soldier denies ‘manipulating’ her into being ‘close’ to him
Former Royal Artillery bombardier Ryan Mason declined to answer some questions at the inquest into the death of Gunner Jaysley Beck.
The supervisor of a teenage soldier has denied at an inquest into her death that he “attempted to manipulate” her into “maintaining a close relationship” with him.
Royal Artillery Gunner Jaysley Beck was found hanging in her room at Larkhill Camp in Wiltshire on 15 December 2021.
Ryan Mason, who was a bombardier and served in the Core Engagement Team (CET) with Gunner Beck at the time, sent thousands of Whatsapp messages to her in the months before her death, the Salisbury inquest has heard.
Giving evidence, Mr Mason, who quit the Army the same month as Gunner Beck died, described her as “that energetic person that brought good spirits to the team”.
When asked by the coroner Nicholas Rheinberg if he began to have romantic feelings for Gunner Beck and had declared his love for her, Mr Mason, who now works as a driving instructor, declined to answer.
Mr Rheinberg had advised him that he did not have to answer questions if his answers were likely to incriminate him.
Mr Mason again declined to answer when the coroner asked him whether “there is a suggestion from the Whatsapp messages that you were putting pressure on Jaysley by referencing to concerns about your mental health and suicide”.
Mr Mason broke down in tears as he told the hearing that he had suffered from mental health issues since he was a child and had self-harmed in 2015.
Mr Rheinberg asked Mr Mason: “At this stage Jaysley was 19, do you think it appropriate for a much older man of more senior rank to off-load their troubles to a 19-year-old?” to which Mr Mason replied: “I will decline to answer.”
He also asked: “Did you attempt to manipulate Jaysley into maintaining a close relationship with her by threatening suicide or self-harm?”
Mr Mason replied: “I didn’t have an aim, it wasn’t to manipulate.”
He also asked Mr Mason: “Did you, while staying in a hotel, ask Jaysley to sleep with you?” to which he answered: “No.”
The coroner asked Mr Mason about an incident on December 7 when he, Gunner Beck and a third soldier were staying at a hotel for an event.
The inquest has heard that Gunner Beck left early after calling her parents in a “frightened state”.
The coroner then asked: “Did you during the course of that stay enter Jaysley’s room and put your hand on her leg?” to which Mr Mason replied: “No.”
The inquest was read a message that Gunner Beck sent to Mr Mason that day which said: “I honestly feel trapped in this whole situation, I have tried to act as a normal as possible because we are working together but nothing is normal about this situation.
“I have tried to be there for you as a friend but it completely crossed the line of that a long time ago.
“I have felt so uncomfortable at this event, I have literally cried about it and been up worrying about it.
“The truth is I am struggling to deal with all this, it’s taken a huge toll on my mental health for many reasons. I need time out.”
Mr Rheinberg asked Mr Mason: “Did you perceive that your constant pursuing of Jaysley would cause her to suffer stress?” to which he replied: “I decline to answer.”
Mr Mason told the inquest that he went back to his family home in West Yorkshire on December 8 before he then handed in his notice to quit the Army.
Mr Mason was asked a series of questions by the family’s counsel, Alison Gerry, about the Whatsapp messages that he sent to Gunner Beck before the coroner halted the line of questioning out of concern for the “mental health” of the witness.
Finishing her questions, Ms Gerry asked Mr Mason: “You were Jaysley’s line manager, you were older, she was a young new soldier and your subordinate and it’s right you became completely obsessed with her, possessive, jealous, manipulative and when she split up with her boyfriend, you were overjoyed as that meant you could be together and when that did not happen you became more obsessive and manipulative?”
He replied: “I decline to answer.”
Mr Mason said that he had been aware of an incident in July 2021 where Gunner Beck had been allegedly sexually assaulted by another senior soldier.
Ms Gerry asked: “Despite that, you pursued Jaysley in the way you did?” to which he replied: “I decline to answer.”
While Mr Mason gave his evidence, Gunner Beck’s mother, Leighann McCready, of Oxen Park, Cumbria, turned her head away from the witness to face the back of the room.
The hearing continues.
