Jay Slater was a real person - not an internet joke

PLUS: Why one politician will be questioned by police on Monday

Hello and welcome to The Lancashire Lead.

The story of Jay Slater was a story that captured the public’s attention in a very similar way as Nicola Bulley.

But while the conspiracy theorists in regards to Bulley broadly came from a place of concern (outside of those online always needing to increase their reach), the conversation around Slater took a much more mocking and critical tone.

This week, at the conclusion of an inquest into his death, his mother reminded the room - and the public - that this is young bricklayer, a son and a friend who has lost his life.

Conspiracy theories, covered widely in the media, were rubbished as exactly that and what was left was the tale of a young man, behaving as many young men do, who lost his life.

Online theories rubbished by coroner as mum pays tribute to lost son

Jay with mum Debbie

By Jamie Lopez

Jay Slater’s mum asked for her son to be remembered as ‘a real person’ at the conclusion of his inquest.

The 19-year-old apprentice bricklayer died last year when he fell to his death during a holiday to Tenerife to attend the NRG Festival. He was found some four weeks after his death, during which time his disappearance made international news and became the subject of countless jokes on social media.

This week, a two-day inquest took place at Lancashire Coroners’ Court in Preston to examine how the Oswaldtwistle man came to his death. It heard details of the days leading to his death and the efforts to locate his body afterwards.

Before Dr James Adeley, senior coroner for Lancashire, summed up the evidence and recorded a conclusion of accidental death, Jay’s mum Debbie Duncan paid a tribute on behalf of the family.

She described him as a popular boy and a talented footballer as well as a much loved family member. She said he was learning to drive and had a bright future ahead of him.

Debbie continued: “This all changed in June 2024. Jay had saved up for his first friends’ holiday abroad and was counting down the days when he flew to Tenerife for the NRG festival.

“Not in a million years did we predict what was to unfold. Jay was a bundle of fun with a confident smile. He loved going to festivals and always made new friends wherever he went.

“He loved to dance and did so at every opportunity. He had a large circle of good friends who have been left devastated by his tragic death. He was very loved and our hearts are broken. Our lives will never be the same without Jay in it.”

During the course of his disappearance, online discussion involved all manner of conspiracy theories which were discussed online and publicised on news sites of all sizes.

Dr Adeley addressed two of these directly - social media posts of Jay holding knives and bragging about a stolen Rolex - and concluded both were no more than social media ‘boosting’. He said there was no evidence to suggest that Jay was under any threat or believed he was or that he had actually stolen anything. As such, he said these posts had no role or influence in his death and later concluded there was no third party involved.

A tearful Debbie alluded to stories such as these, which were publicised and speculated upon in regional and national and news sites as well as on social media, as she concluded the family statement.

She said: “As a family, we would like those in attendance here to please remember that Jay was a real person, a loving son, brother, grandson, nephew, cousin and loyal friend to many.

“He may have just been a story for the past 13 months, a story full of untruths. He did touch the hearts of a nation and that overwhelmed us.

“We ask you now to please let Jay rest in eternal peace.”

During the night of June 16-17, Jay and friends had visited clubs in Tenerife and he was known to have taken ecstasy and cocaine and believed to have taken ketamine. Post-mortem tests subsequently confirmed this to be the case.

At around 5am, he asked Ayub Qassim if he could stay with him and Steven Rocas as everyone else had gone home. Mr Qassim agreed and said he would bring him back at around noon the following day after they had all slept.

However, during the morning Jay, still under the influence of the drugs he had taken, left the building and attempted to walk a journey which would be a 40 minute drive or 11 hours on foot.

A series of short phone calls occurred during Jay’s attempted journey, one of which involved him being warned of the danger of the heat and terrain by friend Lucy Law and told to “go back to wherever the fuck you just came from before it gets boiling”.

On the final call, Jay said that his phone was on 1% and that all he could see were mountains.

At some point after that, he fell to his death and he was eventually found 29 days later.

Dr Adeley also made reference to online abuse and criticism aimed at Ms Law before concluding, explaining: “There is every indication that Jay’s friends were concerned about him during the evening, made efforts to find him and persuade him to leave the party and return to his room.

“In particular Lucy Law made repeated attempts to find Jay on the evening and look after his welfare and after Jay was reported missing made strenuous efforts to persuade the police to investigate, search and tracked his Airbnb from a picture and travelled to the location where Jay had stayed overnight she was so concerned.

“As Jay is an adult, he has every right to ignore such concerns and to make his own decisions.”

He concluded: “Jay Dean Slater died on 17 June 2024 in the Juan Lopez Ravine in a remote area of the Teno Natural Park in Tenerife. Whilst attempting to descend the Ravine, Jay Slater fell at a particularly dangerous area of difficult terrain and loose rock.

“Jay Slater fell approximately 20-25m resulting in skull fractures, brain trauma and from which he would have died instantly. There was no third party involvement in Jay Slater’s death.”

Michael Lavalette to be questioned by police over social media post

By Paul Faulkner

A Lancashire county councillor will be questioned by police next week about a post he shared on social media.