The last moments of teenager Jay Slater, whose disappearance sparked a huge manhunt last year when he vanished in Tenerife, have been discussed at an inquest into his death
The family of Jay Slater have been told his final moments before he died in Tenerife – and assured his death would have been “very quick”.
The disappearance of the 19-year-old from Oswaldtwistle, Lancashire, sparked a huge search for the teenager in Tenerife last June. After friends and family flew over to help look for him, Jay’s remains were finally found a month later near the village of Masca. It was believed he had died after falling from a height in the steep and inaccessible area where he was eventually found. His disappearance also sparked a huge wave of media attention before his body was finally discovered.
Follow the latest on today’s inquest into Jay’s death with our live blog
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Today his family learned the truth about his final moments before he died at an inquest at Preston Coroner’s Court. During the hearing, Home Office pathologist Dr Richard Shepherd gave medical evidence suggesting Jay suffered a “heavy fall from height” – and the “devastating” effects would have been immediate.
Dr Shepherd said: “The injury is so severe that I have no doubt at all he would have been rendered immediately unconscious… death was either instantaneous or extremely quick.
“The pattern of injuries is entirely consistent with a heavy fall from height.”
Dr Shepherd told the inquest Jay’s head injury was so serious it is highly unlikely he could have survived, even if Jay had been admitted to a specialist neurosurgical unit.
He added Jay’s body was already decomposing by the time he examined it. He explained: “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 pattern of injuries is entirely consistent with a heavy fall from height.” A CT scan also showed there was “a severe fracture of the head.”
Toxicologist Dr Stephanie Martin also told the inquest that more than one drug was present in his body. Although tests when someone who has been dead for some time are “extremely challenging”, she determined that Jay had ecstasy in his system at the time of his death. Also present was a cocaine metabolite, which is present when cocaine is taken at the same time as the consumption of alcohol.
Dr Martin says it is impossible to say exactly when Jay took the drugs but it is “likely within a day or so of his death.” The Spanish authorities also carried out their own toxicology tests on Jay’s body. Dr Martin said: “The only difference between our results and their results is that they found ketamine and its metabolites.”