The inquest examining the death of 19-year-old Jay Slater has shed light on a number of details surrounding the tragedy, but several questions remain unanswered
An inquest exploring the circumstances of Jay Slater’s shock death has revealed a host of new details about the tragic teen’s disappearance and the recovery of his body from a ravine a month later – but questions remain.
Jay, 19, went missing after leaving an Airbnb in the village of Masca in Teno, Tenerife, in June 2024, prompting a massive manhunt that grabbed international headlines for more than a month. When his lifeless body was recovered from the bottom of the Juan Lopez ravine on July 15, authorities concluded he had died from massive trauma, including a serious brain injury.
The now-adjourned inquest at Preston Coroner’s Court has clarified a host of facts, including shedding light on his cause of death and the Oswaldtwistle teen’s final moments.
However, there are some issues which remain in dispute about Jay’s disappearance.
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Where is the missing Rolex?
Investigators questioned taxi drivers and bar staff working near the Papagayo Beach Club in Tenerife after a fight reportedly broke out on June 17 – the same night 19-year-old Jay Slater was partying there. During the altercation, a high-end Rolex watch was allegedly stolen.
Although there was speculation linking Jay to the theft, police never found any evidence to support this theory. Despite the lack of proof, rumours continued to circulate, raising questions around the circumstances of Jay’s disappearance. His mother, Debbie Duncan, strongly denied any suggestion that her son was involved in the theft, calling the accusation a “vile rumour.”
However, during the inquest, it was revealed that Jay admitted stealing a £12,000 Rolex and was pictured with knives before he was found dead in Tenerife last June.
Between 5:03am and 5:52am on the morning Jay vanished, a message was sent from his phone saying: “Just took a £12k Rolly off some **** off to get 10 quid for it now.” The inquest heard Jay sent a message to witness Josh Forshaw where he said: “Ended up getting thrown out with two Mali kids, just took an AP [expensive watch strap] off somebody and was on the way to sell it.”
Josh told the hearing via videolink that Jay revealed he was planning to sell the strap for “10 quid” – a slang term for £10,000. But the whereabouts of the Rolex is still unknown, as it was never found.
Where did he get the knives?
Shortly before his death, Jay also sent Josh Forshaw a photo of himself with “knives down his trousers”. He captioned the image “in case it kicks off”.
Josh said he didn’t inform Spanish police about the image. It wasn’t until he returned home to the UK that he reported it to Lancashire Police. The inquest heard no explanation has been offered or uncovered as to why Jay had the knives or believed anything would “kick off”.
Where are his friends?
Jay’s friends Lucy Law and Brad Hargreaves were not able to be tracked down to give evidence. They flew to the Spanish island in June last year with Jay, 19, to attend the NRG music festival in Playa de las Americas.
The coroner 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.” Lucy, currently believed to be in Tenerife, was reportedly the one who Jay called last June, telling her he was lost, had 1% battery and needed water.
Brad, who joined Lucy and Jay on the Tenerife last summer, is also understood to be on holiday, the inquest was told.
Ms Law is said to be on holiday on the very island where he died, according to her family. She is reportedly unaware police even want to speak to her for the purposes of Mr Slater’s inquest.
Meanwhile, Brad is thought to be on a holiday booked last October. However, just hours ahead of the inquest, Brad took to Instagram Stories, where he posted a full-length mirror selfie, covering his face with an emoji. He posed with his hand in his pocket, dressed in all black.
The post featured a time stamp which read ’07:29′.
Where are the other witnesses?
Shortly before he vanished, Jay went to an Airbnb in the village of Masca which was being rented out by Ayub Qassim and Steven Roccas.
Police have been unable to find the two men, and have therefore not been able to serve a summons for them to give evidence at the inquest. The coroner’s office had spoken to somebody over the phone who they believed was Mr Roccas – but the person denied being him. If police have a reasonable belief that an individual is that named on a witness summons, they can still serve it. If that person then fails to attend court, a warrant for their arrest can be issued.
The coroner has suggested that the inquest into Jay’s death will likely resume “in a month or two” to allow for more time to locate the two men.
Why did he walk home?
The court was told that, at 2.39am on the morning the teenager vanished, he sent a worrying message that persuaded a concerned friend to ask him to “come home”.
Jay wrote: “They’ve got a marker on me.” The friend replied: “You need to get home lad, you’re off your barnet.”
TV sleuth Mark Williams-Thomas, who interviewed Qassim, said that he claimed to have offered Jay a lift back to his hotel after he slept, but was turned down as he was hungry and “wanted some scran”.
Mr Williams-Thomas, who helped expose Jimmy Savile’s vile sex crimes after the TV presenter’s death, revealed that Qassim said that Jay had been eager to leave the Airbnb on waking up the next morning and a neighbour had told him about a bus that could take him back.
He said: “Qassim said to him ‘Chill, mate, I’ll drop you off later, when I wake up’ but he said Jay said ‘nah, I need some scran, I’m hungry’.
“Jay said he had been told by the woman the bus to Los Cristianos was every ten minutes and Qassim said there was no bus and added ‘Do what you like’ before going to sleep.”
Jay was last heard from around 8:30 BST that morning, when he called Miss Law and told her he was lost and had 1% battery on his phone before the call cut out.
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