Jay Slater inquest: Everything we learned about teenager's death which sparked huge search

Independent

21-05-2025

An inquest into the death of British teenager Jay Slater is taking place almost a year after he was found dead on the Spanish island of Tenerife.
The 19-year-old vanished from a remote part of the popular holiday spot on 17 June last year after going to a music festival with friends.
After a nearly month-long search, Mr Slater's body was discovered with Spanish police saying he had likely died from a head injury.
He was last heard from by his friend Lucy Law, after he rang her and told him his phone was on 1 per cent. His other friend, Brad Hargreaves, heard him 'slipping over gravel' on a phone call.
Here, The Independent takes a look at everything in the inquest so far into the apprentice bricklayer's death at Preston Coroner's Court, Lancashire.
His friends did not appear at the inquest
Several of Mr Slater's friends, who were on holiday at the time he died, failed to show up to the inquest despite frequent requests for them to do so.
These included Bradley Geoghegan, Brandon Hodgson and Lucy Law, Mr Slater's friends, who were out with him at the music festival the night before he vanished.
The two men who were staying at an Airbnb that Mr Slater went back to before he disappeared have also not been traced.
His mother Debbie Duncan broke down in tears during the inquest, saying: 'How can we ever get any understanding?'
She pleaded: 'We want these people to be sat in front of us, because our son went on holiday and didn't come back, so there's questions we need to ask.'
The inquest has been adjourned for a final effort to trace the witnesses. A date for the resumption of the hearing has not been set.
He had drugs in his system the day he died
Toxicology expert Dr Stephanie Martin told the hearing analysis of Mr Slater's body showed traces of the presence of MDMA and MDA, commonly known as ecstasy, along with cocaine and alcohol.
Analysis of samples by the Spanish authorities also showed the presence of ketamine, which was not found in the UK samples.
He died from a head injury, and was not assaulted
Home Office pathologist Dr Richard Shepherd detailed the injuries found on Mr Slater from his post-mortem examination findings.
'The pattern of the injuries were entirely consistent with a heavy fall, a fall from a height, landing on his head,' Dr Shepherd said.
Dr Adeley, senior coroner for Lancashire and Blackburn with Darwen, asked the witness if, from the injuries, there was any suggestion of an assault or restraint of the teenager.
'The pattern of the injuries when someone is assaulted or restrained is very different from the type of injuries and pattern I found with Jay,' Dr Shepherd added.