Jay Slater inquest halted after new development as witness makes contact
An inquest is being heard into the death of Jay Slater, 19, who was found dead in the Juan Lopez ravine in Tenerife on July 15 last year following a four-week search
The inquest into the death of Jay Slater was abruptly halted after contact was finally made with a key witness. The hearing at Preston Coroner's Court is investigating the circumstances surrounding the 19-year-old bricklayer'S death in Tenerife on July 15 last year, following a month-long search for him.
After attending the NRG music festival in Playa de las Americas, Jay had travelled north to an Airbnb in the remote village of Masca in the early hours of June 17.
He then left the property on foot and subsequently went missing in the Rural Parc de Teno. This morning, the inquest heard that three crucial witnesses could not be located before today's proceedings. Alice Swarbrick, a coroner's officer, stated that police had tried to serve a witness summons on Lucy Law, a friend who was with Jay in Tenerife, but she couldn't be found.
It is believed that Lucy is currently in Tenerife. Brad Hargreaves, another friend who was with Jay in Tenerife last June, is thought to be on a holiday booked last October, added Ms Swarbrick.
Neither could be found by police prior to today's hearing, according to senior coroner Dr James Adeley, reports the Manchester Evening News.
Police have also been unable to locate a third key witness - Ayub Qassim, who rented out the Airbnb in Masca where Jay stayed after the festival.
Despite efforts by the Metropolitan Police to find him, officers were unsuccessful, the inquest heard. However, just after noon, the coroner paused the proceedings briefly as it was reported that one of the three absent witnesses had been contacted.
Lucy and Brad previously spoke of how they chatted with Jay as he attempted to walk back to their accommodation from the remote Airbnb, a journey that would have taken him 11 hours on foot. Tragically, he never made it.
At 8:15 a.m., Lucy received a phone call from Jay, who told her he was in "the middle of nowhere" and dehydrated, with just one per cent of his phone battery remaining. After missing his bus, the apprentice bricklayer explained to Lucy that he was attempting to make his way back using a Maps app. It was then that the call cut out suddenly, with his battery depleting completely at 8:50 a.m.
Lucy told the Manchester Evening News: "He's gone on a night out, he's gone to a friend's house, someone that he has met on holiday. One of the people he has met has hired a car out of here, so he's driven them back to his apartment, and Jay has gone there, not realising how far away it is.
"In the morning, he's set off walking, using his Maps on his phone and ended up in the middle of mountains with nothing around." Lucy later told Sky News that Jay had 'cut his leg on a cactus' as he attempted to walk along a remote path.
Appearing on This Morning on June 28, just two days before Spanish police called off the official search, Brad opened up about his own final conversation with Jay, who'd promised to video call him back after hanging up, as "someone else was ringing him".
Showing emotion as he recalled Jay's "zest for life", Brad shared that Jay hadn't initially been worried about finding his way back to his friends. He revealed that he could hear Jay's feet sliding on the rocks indicating that he had "went off the road". He explained: "That's how I knew he went off the road because, you know when you walk on gravel, or whatever it is, you can... you know what I mean, stones."
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
South Wales Guardian
an hour ago
- South Wales Guardian
Searches for Madeleine McCann to continue in Portugal
On Tuesday, fresh searches for Madeleine began, as teams drained a well and cleared areas of dense vegetation near abandoned buildings in countryside a few miles from Praia da Luz. Madeleine, then aged three, vanished while on holiday with her family in the Algarve resort, after her parents went out to dinner and left her sleeping in a room with her toddler twin siblings. German investigators and Portuguese police officers and firefighters took part in the searches on Tuesday, as teams used strimmers, shovels and chainsaws to clear the undergrowth and debris around an abandoned building, and drained a well using a yellow hose. About a dozen officers focused on one abandoned building where digging was taking place, while another member of the search team cleared large rocks. The Sun reported that investigators are also planning to use radar equipment that can scan beneath the ground. It has been variously reported that teams will look where trenches were dug near the resort at the time of Madeleine's disappearance, at wells, ruins and water tanks, and that there are plans to examine 21 pieces of land. The search is being carried out at the request of the German federal police, as they look for evidence that could implicate prime suspect Christian Brueckner, who is in prison for raping a 72-year-old woman in Praia da Luz in 2005. He is due to be released from jail in September if no further charges are brought. In October last year, Brueckner was cleared by a German court of unrelated sexual offences, alleged to have taken place in Portugal between 2000 and 2017. About 30 German police, including forensic experts, are expected to take part in the search, with Portuguese officers, which is expected to last until Friday. The Metropolitan Police said they were aware of the operation but that British officers will not be present. German investigators and Portuguese officers last carried out searches in 2023, near the Barragem do Arade reservoir, about 30 miles from Praia da Luz. Brueckner, who spent time in the area between 2000 and 2017, had photographs and videos of himself near the reservoir. It was previously searched in 2008, when Portuguese lawyer Marcos Aragao Correia paid for specialist divers to search it, after he claimed to have been tipped off by criminal contacts that Madeleine's body was there. British police were later given permission to examine scrubland near where she vanished in 2014. Last month Madeleine's family, who are from Rothley in Leicestershire, marked the 18th anniversary of her disappearance, describing her as 'beautiful and unique', before her 22nd birthday, and vowed to continue the search. A statement from her parents, Kate and Gerry McCann, and the family, said: 'The years appear to be passing even more quickly and whilst we have no significant news to share, our determination to 'leave no stone unturned' is unwavering. We will do our utmost to achieve this.' In April, ministers approved more than £100,000 in additional funding for Scotland Yard detectives investigating Madeleine's disappearance.
Rhyl Journal
an hour ago
- Rhyl Journal
Searches for Madeleine McCann to continue in Portugal
On Tuesday, fresh searches for Madeleine began, as teams drained a well and cleared areas of dense vegetation near abandoned buildings in countryside a few miles from Praia da Luz. Madeleine, then aged three, vanished while on holiday with her family in the Algarve resort, after her parents went out to dinner and left her sleeping in a room with her toddler twin siblings. German investigators and Portuguese police officers and firefighters took part in the searches on Tuesday, as teams used strimmers, shovels and chainsaws to clear the undergrowth and debris around an abandoned building, and drained a well using a yellow hose. About a dozen officers focused on one abandoned building where digging was taking place, while another member of the search team cleared large rocks. The Sun reported that investigators are also planning to use radar equipment that can scan beneath the ground. It has been variously reported that teams will look where trenches were dug near the resort at the time of Madeleine's disappearance, at wells, ruins and water tanks, and that there are plans to examine 21 pieces of land. The search is being carried out at the request of the German federal police, as they look for evidence that could implicate prime suspect Christian Brueckner, who is in prison for raping a 72-year-old woman in Praia da Luz in 2005. He is due to be released from jail in September if no further charges are brought. In October last year, Brueckner was cleared by a German court of unrelated sexual offences, alleged to have taken place in Portugal between 2000 and 2017. About 30 German police, including forensic experts, are expected to take part in the search, with Portuguese officers, which is expected to last until Friday. The Metropolitan Police said they were aware of the operation but that British officers will not be present. German investigators and Portuguese officers last carried out searches in 2023, near the Barragem do Arade reservoir, about 30 miles from Praia da Luz. Brueckner, who spent time in the area between 2000 and 2017, had photographs and videos of himself near the reservoir. It was previously searched in 2008, when Portuguese lawyer Marcos Aragao Correia paid for specialist divers to search it, after he claimed to have been tipped off by criminal contacts that Madeleine's body was there. British police were later given permission to examine scrubland near where she vanished in 2014. Last month Madeleine's family, who are from Rothley in Leicestershire, marked the 18th anniversary of her disappearance, describing her as 'beautiful and unique', before her 22nd birthday, and vowed to continue the search. A statement from her parents, Kate and Gerry McCann, and the family, said: 'The years appear to be passing even more quickly and whilst we have no significant news to share, our determination to 'leave no stone unturned' is unwavering. We will do our utmost to achieve this.' In April, ministers approved more than £100,000 in additional funding for Scotland Yard detectives investigating Madeleine's disappearance.
North Wales Chronicle
an hour ago
- North Wales Chronicle
Man arrested on suspicion of breaking into Windsor Castle grounds
Thames Valley Police said the man allegedly entered 'restricted grounds' at the royal residence at just after 1pm on Sunday. The force added that he was 'quickly challenged' by Metropolitan Police officers and did not enter the inner grounds of the castle. The Metropolitan Police said the man, aged in his 30s, was arrested on suspicion of trespass on a protected site and possession of Class A drugs. He was then passed into the custody of Thames Valley Police. Thames Valley Police said the man has been bailed and an 'investigation is ongoing'. A spokesperson for Thames Valley Police said: 'At just after 1pm on Sunday a man entered restricted grounds at Windsor Castle. 'He was quickly challenged by Met police officers and arrested. He did not enter the inner grounds of Windsor Castle.' It is a criminal offence to trespass on a protected site under the Serious Organised Crime and Police Act 2005.
