Jay Slater 'did not seem threatened', friend tells inquest

BBC News

6 days ago

One of the last people to speak to Jay Slater said the 19-year-old did not seem threatened as he made his way home from an Airbnb he had gone to with two men he had met in a nightclub in Tenerife, an inquest has heard.Mr Slater, of Oswaldtwistle, Lancashire, went missing on the Spanish island on 17 June 2024, shortly after speaking to his friend Bradley Geoghegan on the phone.Asked by coroner Dr James Adeley if Mr Slater "seemed fearful or under duress", Mr Geoghehan said: "No," adding he had "probably... sobered up and decided to come back".A huge search was launched, and his body was found in a ravine near the village of Masca on 15 July.
The inquest heard he had taken drugs and alcohol on a night out and had a 14-hour walk home.Mr Geoghegan, who had gone on holiday with Mr Slater, said his friend had taken ecstasy pills, and possibly ketamine, along with cocaine and alcohol, on the night out before he disappeared.
The court heard Mr Slater had been forced to leave a nightclub because he was so drunk and instead of going back to the apartment he shared with Mr Geoghegan, he went to an Airbnb, miles away, with two men they had met on the holiday.The next morning Mr Geoghegan said he got a video call from Mr Slater, who was walking along a road and was still "under the influence", the inquest heard.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'."The witness said he did not think his friend had any money on him, and taxis in Tenerife insisted on payment up front before carrying a fare.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."Mr Slater, had been to the NRG music festival with friends at the Papagayo nightclub in the resort of Playa de las Americas, on 16 June last year.Mr Slater vanished the morning after going to the Airbnb and was reported missing to Spanish police on 18 June.Evidence heard during the inquest suggested he had left the holiday let, and after failing to get a bus or taxi, attempted to walk back to his own apartment and had fallen from a height into a ravine.A huge search was launched before his body was found by a mountain rescue team almost a month later.
'No evidence of assault'
Mr Slater's mother, Debbie Duncan, had asked for the inquest into the death to be resumed on Thursday after a number of witnesses did not attend the last hearing in May.Dr Adeley agreed to adjourn the inquest to trace the witnesses, those who had been with him in the hours before he vanished.The hearing in May heard from a number of witnesses, including toxicology expert Dr Stephanie Martin.The court heard analysis showed traces of drugs, including cocaine, ketamine and ecstasy, along with alcohol, were found in Mr Slater's body.Home Office pathologist Dr Richard Shepherd said his post-mortem examination gave the cause of death as head injuries, and Mr Slater's body showed no evidence of restraint or assault, with the pattern of injuries consistent with a fall from a height.
'Off his head'
Det Ch Insp Rachel Higson, from Lancashire Constabulary, said police had analysed Mr Slater's phone data.On the night out he had received phone messages from friends telling him to go home as he was "off his head".Phone location data suggested Mr Slater had travelled to the Airbnb and the next morning and left the property at about 07.45.Statements from Spanish witnesses said they were approached and asked by Mr Slater about buses or taxis to take him home.More messages from friends warned him about the "boiling" heat of the day, but activity data on his phone stopped at 08:51, suggesting his phone battery had died.
The next witness, Ayub Qassim, said he and a friend, Steven Roccas, met Mr Slater and his friends out in Tenerife.He said he had been in a different venue then later met Mr Slater and Mr Geoghegan getting something to eat after the clubs closed.He said Mr Slater asked if he could come back to his and Mr Roccas' apartment.Mr Qassim, giving evidence via videolink, told the hearing: "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."
'Did not steal'
The coroner then asked the witness about messages Mr Slater had sent about a watch possibly being stolen.The inquest was shown a Snapchat video featuring a short clip of a car dashboard with a caption referring to taking a "12k rolly" and being off to "get 10 quid for it".He added: "Jay did not steal no watch. I can say one hundred per cent."Asked to explain the social media post by Mr Slater, the witness said: "He could be boasting to his friends. He's on a buzz, so maybe it could be that. Sometimes people do exaggerate."The coroner said: "But so far as you are concerned, none of that is true?"Mr Qassim said: "No. One hundred per cent. I didn't see a watch. At this point he's just firing off messages."He said when they got to his Airbnb he gave Mr Slater a blanket and pillow and told him he could sleep on the sofa before going off to his own bed.
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