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The Sun
5 days ago
- The Sun
Jay Slater inquest LIVE: Brit teen's pal Lucy Mae Law, 20, appears after missing first hearing while on Tenerife holiday
JAY Slater's close friend Lucy Mae Law has finally come forward to give evidence at his inquest after she missed the first hearing on holiday. The Brit made a heartbreaking final call to Lucy, 20, saying he had cut his leg, was lost and dehydrated just before Jay vanished last year. 4 4 4 4 Lucy and Brad Hargreaves, friends Jay was on holiday with, and Ayub Qassim and Steven Roccas, who Jay went to the Airbnb with, all failed to attend the first inquest hearing in May. Lucy's family revealed she was on holiday on the very same island where Jay died and totally unaware the inquest was going on. An emotional plea from Debbie to trace them and compel them to give evidence prompted coroner Dr James Adeley to postpone the inquest until today. Debbie told the hearing in May: "There are things that we want to question. We want these people in front of us. "My son went on holiday and didn't come back so there are questions we need to ask. Please." Lucy's hearing comes after Brad spoke to the court and convicted drug dealer Qassim also said his side of the story. Qassim, one of the final people to see Jay alive, addressed the hearing via videolink from another country. Jay's body was found in a ravine in the remote Rural de Teno National Park last July after an agonising 29-day search. Apprentice bricklayer Jay flew to the Spanish island last June to attend the NRG music festival in Playa de las Americas with two friends, Lucy and Brad. After a night of partying on June 17, the teen travelled to an Airbnb apartment in Masca with two men - Qassim and Roccas. Jay, of Oswaldtwistle, Lancs, phoned Brad after he left the Airbnb at around 8am and attempted to make the treacherous walk to his holiday apartment in sweltering heat. Today, 11:08 By Katie Davis Brad recounts their trip to Tenerife Brad said he and Jay landed in Tenerife in the early hours of June 13. He said they flew to Tenerife with Lucy Law, and took a taxi to where they were staying. Brad said they then went out drinking until 5am and met Brandon Hodgson, Steven Roccas and Ayub Qassim. Today, 11:06 By Katie Davis Brad gives evidence to the court We are now hearing from Jay's friend Brad Geoghegan, who Jay was on holiday with in Tenerife. He said he had been friends with Jay since the start of secondary school. Today, 11:01 By Katie Davis Jay's friend Brad arrives at court Jay's friend Brad Hargreaves - also known as Geoghegan - has arrived at Preston Coroner's Court. Brad was summoned to attend the hearing in May but was on holiday. He is in court today, while Lucy is due to give evidence via videolink. Today, 10:37 By Katie Davis Dr James Adeley leading today's hearing Today's hearing is being overseen by Dr James Adeley, who led the initial hearing in May. Dr Adeley - who has two decades of experience as a coroner - also oversaw the inquest into the death of Nicola Bulley in 2023. He is a qualified barrister and medical surgeon. Today, 10:32 By Katie Davis Jay's dad and brother arrive at court Jay's dad Warren and brother Zak have now arrived at Preston Coroner's Court. The pair spent day after day walking the remote mountains of northern Tenerife after Jay disappeared on June 17 last year. Extra security has been drafted in for today's hearing. The hearing was due to start at 10am, but people are still arriving at court. Debbie, Warren and Zak are all wearing blue heart pins with the letter J on. Today, 10:14 By Katie Davis Jay's friend Lucy Law due to give evidence Jay's friend Lucy Law - who he was on holiday with in Tenerife - is due to give evidence via videolink today. Lucy did not attend the last hearing, and was understood to be in Tenerife. Jay made a final heartbreaking call to Lucy on the morning of his death. The 19-year-old told her he had cut his leg, was lost, dehydrated and had just one per cent battery on his phone. Today, 09:50 By Katie Davis Jay's mum Debbie arrives at court Jay's mum Debbie Duncan has arrived at Preston Coroner's Court for today's hearing. The last hearing in May was adjourned after heartbroken Debbie pleaded for crucial witnesses to be tracked down. The inquest is due to last two days. By Katie Davis Who are the missing witnesses? The previous hearing on May 21 heard how several witnesses had not been located to give evidence. Jay's friend Lucy Law was believed to be in Tenerife, while pal Brad Geoghegan had told the coroner's office he would be on holiday. The two men staying at the remote Airbnb Jay went to hours before his death also failed to be traced. Ayub Qassim and Steven Roccas did not attend the last hearing, despite summonses being issued. Coroner Dr Adeley said renewed efforts would be made to track them down before today's hearing. It remains unclear whether these key witnesses will appear at today or tomorrow's hearing. Today, 09:37 By Katie Davis 'So many unanswered questions' Jay's devastated mum Debbie previously opened up to The Sun about how she is tortured by 'so many questions' over what happened when he went missing. The grieving mum said she 'could not get her head around' why Jay got into a car with two older men after the music festival and went to their Airbnb apartment. School assistant Debbie also questioned why his friend Lucy did not race to pick him up. Fighting back tears, she told The Sun: 'I don't know what he thought he was doing by going with these two guys. I really don't know. 'I can't get my head round why he just didn't go back to his own friends, and went with them. 'In our minds, we think he's not realised where he was going. 'And it was dark. I just think he's not even thought about or knew which direction he was going.' Brave Debbie also told how Jay was a "loving and popular" teen who "had the world at his feet". She also defended a GoFundMe page that was set up to support the family after endless abuse from trolls. Today, 09:23 By Mum's plea to locate witnesses The last hearing was adjourned in May after Jay's mum Debbie Duncan pleaded with the coroner to locate crucial witnesses. The court summoned Jay's friends Lucy and Brad, who he went to Tenerife with, as well as Ayub Qassim and Steven Roccas, who Jay went back to the Airbnb with. But the hearing was told how in most cases they were either "unknown" at addresses held by police or there was no answer. Contact via mobile phone and email also went unanswered. Debbie pleaded with the coroner to locate Qassim and Roccas. She said: "I know you tried to locate them but how can we ever get any understanding? "We know he died, we know he had an accident, but from him leaving that holiday resort to going up there? "We read the statements. There are things that we want to question. We want these people in front of us. "My son went on holiday and didn't come back so there are questions we need to ask. Please." Today, 09:17 By Katie Davis Why inquest farce was more pain for family At the last hearing in May, Jay's family were subjected to yet more torment as an inquest into his death dredged up painful details of his disappearance - while lacking any actual answers. Jay 's courageous mum Debbie Duncan opened up to me just weeks after his body was found about how she was tortured by not knowing what happened to her beloved son before he fell to his death. I was humbled by the bravery she showed in the face of living every parent's worst nightmare on the world stage - relentlessly hounded by mindless trolls. Spineless witnesses failing to turn up to the hearing to provide crucial information was a kick in the teeth for Debbie and Jay's already suffering family. The 19-year-old went missing 13 months ago, and his body tragically discovered 29 days later. So why after all those months did the court failed to bring together vital witnesses - including the two friends he was on holiday with? Today, 09:10 By Georgie English Tenerife hotspot where Jay Slater died is WORSE a year on The streets in notorious Tenerife party town Playa de las Americas, where British teen Jay Slater took a powerful cocktail of drugs before falling to his death is still heaving with blatant criminality. Sun reporters went out to the strip and found people luring tourists into a bar with the promise of 'a free line' of cocaine with their first drink. Two prostitutes in skin-tight bodycon dresses could be seen loitering outside while down the road, 'looky-looky' men circulate, offering Class-A drugs. A police car crawls past, its head-lights on the crowds of holiday-makers, but the officers inside seem blind to the blatant criminality. Student Georgina Haywood, 19, who had just flown in from Manchester with her boyfriend, told us: 'We went into a bar next to KFC and I wouldn't go back again. 'Looky-looky men were all around offering cheap drugs and we've heard if you buy them, they will mug you as soon as they see the cash. 'On the transfer bus over here we were talking to three men who told us they'd been robbed every time they'd come here." Today, 09:04 By Katie Davis Route Jay took was 'steep and dangerous' At the last hearing, Dutch rescue team Signi Zoekhonden told the hearing how the route Jay took was "pretty easy" to begin with but where his body was found is "really steep and dangerous". The volunteers said they "can imagine how Jay thought he was going to make it" from the Airbnb back to the coast. Jay was attempting the treacherous 10-hour walk back to his apartment in Los Cristianos when he called Lucy to say he was lost. DCI Rachel Higson, head of digital media investigations at Lancashire Police, told the hearing that Jay's phone recorded "a lot of steps and inclines" between 7.59am and 8.49am. His mobile last pinged in the mountainous Rural de Teno Park after Jay walked the wrong way from the Airbnb, and DCI Higson said there was "no data recorded" after 8.49:51am. After a month-long search, Jay's body was found in a ravine on July 15 last year - near where his phone last pinged. A post-mortem examination concluded he died of traumatic head injuries, consistent with a fall from height. Home Office pathologist Dr Richard Shepherd told the inquest Jay suffered a "heavy fall from height" and the "devastating" effects would have been "immediate". Today, 09:00 By Katie Davis I was there when Jay's body was found – this is why the case still haunts me "You covered Jay Slater, didn't you?" It's a question I've been asked time and again for the best part of a year now. And every time it makes my stomach churn as their eyes light up, hoping I will lift the lid on the ridiculous conspiracy theories they've lapped up. Jay's story is one I have followed from the moment he went missing in Tenerife on June 17 last year - and it is one of those cases that will never leave me. I was never convinced by the relentless armchair detectives - nor the outlets that regurgitated baseless theories. Outrageous claims include that Jay skipped the island on a yacht, fell foul of a drug cartel, and had been tied up hostage with chains. Jay's grieving mum wept as she opened up to me following his untimely death - and as I looked her in the eyes, I could feel the unspeakable toll of pain she was suffering. I was the only reporter in the mountains of Masca when police confirmed Jay's body had been found, and I can still feel the shock pulsing through me after a long 29-day search. Today, 08:56 By Katie Davis Why was the last hearing adjourned? The last inquest hearing into Jay's death was adjourned after his grieving mum begged the coroner to summon crucial witnesses. Senior Coroner Dr James Adeley told the hearing in May that Lucy is among those who could not be tracked down to give evidence. He said Lucy and Brad - who attended Jay's funeral in Accrington last August - "can't be located". Dr Adeley told Preston Coroner's Court as Jay's family sat in silence: "We can't find them. "They have stopped responding to phone calls. "When drugs are involved in a death, the witnesses are less than forthcoming and do not wish to speak to the authorities." Coroner's officer Alice Swarbrick also revealed extensive attempts to trace other witnesses, including Qassim who the Met Police were unable to locate. Mum Debbie pleaded for the coroner to do more to summon Qassim and the other man Jay went to the Airbnb with, Steven Roccas. Dr Adeley paused the hearing before adjourning it to today.
The Sun
23-05-2025
- The Sun
Jay Slater cops tell distraught mum Debbie they are powerless to force pals to reveal full TRUTH of his disappearance
WITNESSES can't be forced to attend Jay Slater's inquest, police have admitted. It comes after the teenager's devastated mum pleaded with the coroner to summon crucial witnesses after they failed to turn up. 2 Jay, 19, was found dead in Tenerife 29 days after he vanished on June 17. The apprentice bricklayer, of Oswaldtwistle, Lancs, died of traumatic head injuries after falling to his death in the remote, mountainous Rural de Teno Park. But details surrounding final movements still remain unclear - leaving his heartbroken family tormented. Jay's mum Debbie Duncan previously told The Sun she was tortured by "so many unanswered questions". An inquest this week at Preston Coroner's Court was adjourned after grieving Debbie begged for key witnesses to be tracked down. The two friends Jay was on holiday on the Spanish island with - Lucy Law and Brad Hargreaves - failed to turn up, as did the two men who Jay went to an Airbnb with before his death. Police have now confessed they are powerless to bring these people - who could give vital details of Jay's final hours to give his family the closure they deserve - to court. Lancashire Police said: "First and foremost, our thoughts remain with Jay's family and friends at this distressing time. "We supported HM Coroner by making extensive efforts to contact a number of witnesses ahead of the inquest, both in Lancashire and more widely. "However we understand some of these individuals may be abroad and had already left the country when these efforts were made. "We have no jurisdiction in such circumstances to compel someone to attend. "We will continue to support the coroner ahead of the resumption of the inquest."
The Independent
22-05-2025
- The Independent
Jay Slater inquest: Everything we learned about teenager's death as mother breaks down in tears
An inquest into the death of British teenager Jay Slater has been adjourned after his mother broke down in tears, as the coroner revealed details of his final movements. The 19-year-old vanished from a remote part of the popular Spanish island of Tenerife 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. Mr Geoghegan is understood to be on holiday, while Mr Hodgson and Ms Law are believed to be out of the UK. 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.
The Sun
22-05-2025
- The Sun
‘Missing' Jay Slater witness Lucy Law, 20, is on holiday in Tenerife where teen died, family reveals after inquest farce
"MISSING" Jay Slater witness Lucy Law has finally been tracked down - as her family revealed she is currently on holiday in Tenerife. The 20-year-old witness was one of the last people to see Jay before he disappeared - and she is now on holiday in the very same place her pal died last summer. 9 9 It comes after an inquest into the teen's death was dramatically paused after cops said they were unable to locate Law and other important witnesses. Apprentice bricklayer Jay travelled to the Spanish island in June to attend the NRG music festival in Playa de las Americas with two friends, Lucy Law and Brad Hargreaves. The teen travelled to an Airbnb apartment in Masca with two men - including convicted drug dealer Ayub Qassim - in the early hours of June 17, before leaving at around 8am. Jay, of Oswaldtwistle, Lancs, made a heartbreaking final call to his friend Law saying he had cut his leg, was lost, dehydrated and had just one per cent battery on his phone after he left the Airbnb. At the opening of the inquest Senior Coroner Dr James Adeley said that Law is among those who could not be tracked down to give evidence. The inquest was suddenly adjourned before Jay's desperate mum Debbie pleaded for the coroner to do more to summon witnesses including Qassim and the other man Jay went to the Airbnb with, Steven Roccas. She said: "I know you tried to locate them but how can we ever get any understanding? "We know he died, we know he had an accident, but from him leaving that holiday resort to going up there. She desperately pleaded: "We read the statements. There are things that we want to question. We want these people in front of us. "My son went on holiday and didn't come back so there are questions we need to ask. Please." Drug dealer Jay Slater stayed with at Airbnb reveals final time he saw teen before he plunged to death in Tenerife But on Wednesday night, Law's family revealed she was simply on holiday on the very same island where Jay died. They claimed she was also unaware that she had been called to give evidence at the inquest. Speaking at the family home in Burnley, Lucy's stepfather Andy Davis said: "We had no idea Jay's inquest was even being held today. "The police have only just been round today to say that she was due to give evidence. But it's the first time we knew of it." He added: "They asked if Lucy was home and I said she was abroad and they asked me if I was aware that she should have been in court, and I said I wasn't." "The police said they had sent Lucy paperwork with the dates on it, but the first I knew about it was when the police turned up earlier today." Sources in the Slater family later said they were aware where the other missing witnesses were, and had also been able to find them easily, according to the MailOnline. The family source said: "Lucy is in Tenerife. Another supposedly untraceable witness is on holiday in Greece. 9 9 9 "If we can find this out so quickly why can't the police?" The court also heard a suggestion that witnesses may be reluctant to appear because drugs may have been involved. After Jay's body was found, officials said there were traces of cocaine, ecstasy and ketamine in his body. Dr Adeley said: "When drugs are involved in a death, the witnesses are less than forthcoming and do not wish to speak to the authorities." Jay 's disappearance and death remain largely cloaked in mystery and it is hoped that glaring gaps in his final movements will be filled after the inquest. Qassim was previously jailed for nine years in 2015 as the ringleader of a London -based gang dealing heroin and crack cocaine in Cardiff. He and another Brit previously known only as "Rocky" had rented the Airbnb in the remote Tenerife mountains that they took Jay back to after the festival. Jay posted a final Snapchat picture of himself smoking on the doorstep of the apartment at 7.30am on June 17 before leaving shortly after. The inquest heard from three construction workers who said, via video link, they saw Jay on the main road through the remote village of Masca and he asked them about bus times. He was attempting the treacherous 10-hour walk back to his apartment in Los Cristianos when he called Lucy to say he was lost. DCI Rachel Higson, head of digital media investigations at Lancashire Police, told the hearing today that Jay's phone recorded "a lot of steps and inclines" between 7.59am and 8.49am. His mobile last pinged in the mountainous Rural de Teno Park after Jay walked the wrong way from the Airbnb, and DCI Higson said there was "no data recorded" after 8.49:51am. After a month-long search, Jay's body was found in a ravine on July 15 last year - near to where his phone last pinged. A post-mortem examination concluded he died of traumatic head injuries, consistent with a fall from height. Home Office pathologist Dr Richard Shepherd today told the inquest Jay suffered a "heavy fall from height" and the "devastating" effects would have been "immediate". 9 9 9
Metro
22-05-2025
- Metro
Missing Jay Slater witness found ‘holidaying' on island where he vanished
One of Jay Slater's friends who went missing before an inquest into his death was opened has been found holidaying on the island he died. Jay, 19, vanished after attending a music festival in Tenerife last June, and his body was not found for another 29 days. His friends Lucy Law and Brad Hargreaves were some of the last people to see him alive, and gave interviews in the early days of the search. But opening the hearing at Preston Coroners' Court yesterday, senior coroner Dr James Adeley said the pair 'cannot be found'. He said: 'We can't find them. They have denied who they are, and we have had police looking for them but we can't find them.' Yet Ms Law's family insisted she was on holiday, back on the island where Jay died. Her step-father Andy Davis said last night: 'We had no idea Jay's inquest was even being held today. 'The police have only just been round today to say that she was due to give evidence. But it's the first time we knew of it. 'They asked if Lucy was home and I said she was abroad and they asked me if I was aware that she should have been in court, and I said I wasn't. 'The police said they had sent Lucy paperwork with the dates on it, but the first I knew about it was when the police turned up earlier today.' It is still not known where the other witnesses who have been summoned are. This includes Ayub Qassim, who was renting the AirBnB Jay went back to before he died, and fellow Briton Steven Roccas, known as Rocky. Summons were also issued for Jay's friends Josh Forshaw, Brad Hargreaves and Brandon Hodgson. Jay's mum Debbie Duncan, who attended the inquest with other relatives, sobbed as she asked the coroner: 'How can we ever get any understanding? 'There's things we want to question. 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.' Dr Adeley agreed to adjourn the hearing at her request for the witnesses to be brought to court to give evidence before the inquest concludes. Lucy claimed he called saying he was lost, had only 1% of battery left and needed water. Brad told reporters Jay had video called him saying he had missed a bus and was embarking on an 11-hour trek home over rough ground. The inquest heard Jay's body was identified by his 'palm print'. Home Office pathologist Dr Richard Shepherd said: 'There were extensive changes due to decomposition. 'There were changes due to the period of time he was lying in a hot environment – changes I would expect to see in that period of 28 days or thereabouts.' The pathologist said Jay suffered several injuries but one 'to the head is by far the most important one in understanding why Jay died'. Get in touch with our news team by emailing us at webnews@ For more stories like this, check our news page. MORE: Could this grainy 70s photo help police solve a missing person case? MORE: Jay Slater inquest told police 'can't find' his best friends Lucy Law and Brad Hargreaves MORE: Missing British student Lewis Jack's body found on Australia's Gold Coast
