Jay Slater's frantic phone call to pal from 'middle of nowhere' revealed
Jay Slater made a frantic phone call telling a pal 'I'm in the middle of nowhere… there is literally nothing but mountains' on the day he went missing, an inquest has heard.
Lucy Law - who travelled to Tenerife to party with Jay last summer - told the hearing she 'started panicking' after receiving the call. She told the hearing Jay asked her if cactuses were poisonous, with her replying: 'A cactus is the least of your problems, go back to where you have just come from.' During the call Jay told her 'I can't go back there', but she said she didn't feel anything bad had happened, saying: 'I also feel like, if something had gone on in terms of conflict, I feel like he probably would have said.'
The hearing heard Jay went missing after heading to an Airbnb in the remote village of Masca after spending the night at the NRG rave at the Papagayo nightclub in the resort district of Playa de las América in June last year.
The 19-year-old, from Oswaldtwistle, Lancs, had taken ecstasy pills, cocaine and possibly ketamine, along with alcohol. It was a 14-hour walk back to his apartment.
His disappearance sparked a four-week search in Tenerife, an inquest at Preston coroner's court was told. His body was found a month later in the Juan Lopez ravine, close to Masca.
The hearing was shown a final video Jay took on his phone holding a cigarette and filming the mountains outside the Airbnb. A report from Spanish authorities said Jay was reported missing at 9am on June 17. Mountain rescue teams were deployed at 8pm.
They were told Jay 'had a fall' while looking for a bus stop. They were told he was 'afraid of dying' and had no phone battery. He was found on July 15 face down on a slope in a dry watercourse. His Armani bag was 20 metres away containing his phone and gas canisters. The mountain rescue team said his lack of experience in such terrain could have played a part in his death.
The court was shown an image of the spot where his body was found with the mountain rescue teams saying they 'could not explain' why he chose to go down into the ravine.
Lucy - who appeared via video link due to 'her condition' - also shared messages she shared with Jay the evening before he went missing. In them Jay claimed he was 'on a mission'.
Bradley Geoghegan, who had gone on holiday with Jay, told the court Jay had taken ecstasy pills and possibly ketamine, along with cocaine and alcohol, on the night out before he disappeared.
Jay had earlier been forced to leave a nightclub because he was so drunk. Instead of going back to the apartment he shared with Mr Geoghegan, went to an Airbnb, miles away, with two men they had met on the holiday.
The next morning Mr Geoghegan got a video call from Jay, who was walking along a road and was still 'under the influence'. Mr Geoghegan said: 'I said put your maps on to see how far you were. It was like a 14-hour walk or an hour drive. I said, 'Get a taxi back', then he just goes, 'I will ring you back'.'
Coroner Dr James Adeley asked the witness: 'Did you get the impression he was in any way threatened or fearful, or under duress in a difficult situation?'
Mr Geoghegan replied: 'No. I think he probably got there and thought, 'Why am I here?', sobered up and decided to come back.' Jay had travelled to the Airbnb with convicted drug dealer Ayub Qassim and his friend, Steven Roccas.
Appearing by videolink Qassim described Jay as being: 'On a buzz. Chilled, happy.' He said Jay asked if he could come back to their apartment.
Qassim said: 'I did say, 'Bro, oh mate, it's so far away from the strip'. There's nothing happening there other than scenery. I said I would drop him off in the morning. He rolled with us.' The coroner then asked the witness about messages Jay had sent about possibly a watch being stolen.
Qassim said while still on the strip before leaving for their apartment he saw what he described as a 'Romanian, Looky-looky man' try to sell a watch to him and Mr Slater.
He added: 'Jay did not steal no watch. I can say one hundred per cent.'
While on the drive to the Airbnb Mr Slater posted a message to friends on social media, saying: 'Just took a 12k Rolly (Rolex) off some c*** with this Maili (Somalian) kid. Off to get 10 quid (thousand) for it. Off my undies ha, ha, ha.'
Coroner Dr Adeley asked the witness: 'You were not involved in taking a watch?' Qassim replied: 'No. And neither was he.'
Asked to explain Jay's post he said: 'He could be boasting to his friends. He's on a buzz, so maybe it could be that. Sometimes people do exaggerate.' He said when they got to his Airbnb he gave Jay a blanket and pillow and told him he could sleep on the sofa before going off to his own bed.
Qassim said Jay told him he wanted to catch a bus back to his apartment, saying he was still under the influence of drugs and alcohol.
He said: 'I looked at him and I seen he was sweet, so it's like sound innit. What could I have done? I'm not going to say 'stay here now'. I just said 'if you need me i'm here'. I shut the door to go back upstairs to sleep.'
The inquest, which was attended by Jay's mum Debbie Duncan, and dad Wayne, is due to conclude on Friday.
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