Jay Slater missing: Tenerife police call off search as family vows to continue searching for teenager

A man whose “skull was split open” in a machete attack by a gang that included Jay Slater has broken his silence over the desperate search for the missing teenager in Tenerife.

The missing man, aged 19, was part of a group of eight people who attacked Tom Hilton, then aged 17, with a machete, golf clubs and an ax in Rishton, Lancashire, in 2021.

The apprentice bricklayer, from Oswaldtwistle, was given a sentence of 18 months community work, with 25 days of rehabilitation activities and 150 hours of unpaid work for his role in the violent disorder.

The mother of a young man who went missing in Bristol has called for renewed attention to her son's case amid the disappearance of Jay Slater.

Jack O'Sullivan, 23, was last seen more than 17 weeks ago after returning home from a night out with friends on March 2, in a similar case to Mr Slater, 19, who disappeared in the early hours of the night after partying in Tenerife.

Family and friends are trying to keep Mr O'Sullivan's story in the public eye by launching their own website, fundraising and replacing their Facebook profile pictures with his missing poster.

False rumors that a body had been found during the search for Jay Slater spread like wildfire on Facebook, TikTok and other social media sites, while thousands of users shared misinformation.

A simulated Facebook post from a member of the Slater family's inner circle was shared with the following message: “Jay's body has been found. Our thoughts are with his family during these difficult times, we heard from locals that it was the job of the Moroccans [sic].”

Jay's best friend's mother, Rachel Louise Harg, who also created the GoFundMe page to fund the search effort, was forced to amplify the cruel prank by distancing herself from it, insisting that the official update group is not for me.

The Independents Holly Evans reports from Tenerife:

The family of missing Jay Slater are deeply concerned for their son, but remain hopeful that he may be found alive after he went missing in Tenerife.

But the story of an Irish tourist who also disappeared on the Spanish island last year and was found alive days later suggests all may not be lost in the search for Mr Slater's missing person.

Reports from last year recount how Ryan Cooney, then 28, was last seen leaving the apartments of his Paraiso del Sol hotel in Playa de las Americas on November 9, 2023.

Lined with garish neon signs, booming music and ridiculously cheap drinks deals, Veronica's Strip in Tenerife could be considered a British teenager's paradise or a nightmare.

Young Brits appear to be the main clientele on this popular Playa de Las Americas street, with hundreds gathering this week to celebrate the completion of their A-level results.

This is where Jay Slater spent his Sunday night clubbing, before disappearing 37km away in the mountainous region of Teno Rural National Park, with few clues as to why the teenager was traveling such a long way. distance.

The Independents Holly Evans reports from Tenerife: