### New Revelations Shake Jay Slater Inquest as Hearing Concludes
More than a year after the tragic discovery of 19-year-old Jay Slater’s body in a remote ravine in Tenerife, an inquest in Preston has brought forth a series of eye-opening findings, with emotional testimony and frustrating failures by key witnesses taking centre stage. The case, which attracted significant public interest when the Lancashire apprentice bricklayer vanished whilst on holiday, ended with a verdict of accidental death—but left lingering questions and startling insights into Jay’s final hours.
Jay Slater disappeared on 17 June 2024 after attending the NRG music festival with friends on the Spanish island. A frenzied, weeks-long search ultimately ended when authorities recovered his body near the isolated village of Masca. The intense media coverage and emotional appeals by his family added to the scrutiny that surrounded the investigation, as they fought to keep Jay’s case in the public eye and sought answers regarding his fate.
Central to the inquest was testimony from Lucy Law, one of Jay’s friends who had travelled with him to Tenerife. Law recounted a haunting phone call received on the day Jay went missing, during which he described being lost in the mountains and asked a frantic question about the dangers of cactuses. She recalled urging him to retrace his steps, although Jay cryptically replied that he could not return to where he had come from. Law, nonetheless, did not sense immediate danger, telling the court: “He wasn’t the type to hide if something bad had happened.”
The difficulty in finding closure was compounded by the failure of several pivotal witnesses to show up or fully cooperate. Among them was Steven ‘Rocky’ Roccas, who had shared an Airbnb with Jay prior to his disappearance. Efforts by the coroner’s officer to contact Roccas—including visits by police to multiple London addresses—proved futile, with the young man effectively disappearing from proceedings. Meanwhile, another friend, Brandon Hodgson, was also missing from the court, despite repeated official attempts to contact him in both Tenerife and Lancashire.
As the inquest unfolded, fresh light was shed on the days and hours before Jay vanished. Close friend Brad testified the group may have taken things “a bit too far” on their first lads’ holiday, disclosing consumption of ecstasy, cocaine, and ketamine during their festivities. However, Brad rated Jay’s drunkenness as moderate on the night in question, describing him as noticeably happy and energetic, not incoherent or vulnerable.
Recollections from Lucy Law also highlighted Jay’s restless social energy—she recalled a series of messages and frantic searches as she tried to locate him on the local nightlife strip, ultimately leaving him a “fuming” voicemail when she could not find him. Jay, described as a social butterfly, remained determined to extend his night out, leading to him meeting Ayub Qassim, a British acquaintance, who then invited Jay to his rented Airbnb in the remote village.
During testimony, Qassim offered condolences to the family but was swiftly admonished by the coroner for making political remarks unrelated to the case. According to Qassim, they partied together until nearly 6am, after which Jay made the fateful decision to attempt his own journey home, reportedly persuaded by a local that a bus was imminent.
Persistent rumours and speculation also surfaced during the hearing, including claims that Jay may have stolen a luxury watch or was carrying knives. Both friends and witnesses at the inquest refuted these suggestions, stating they saw no evidence of such items or behaviour, suggesting any such boasts may have been youthful exaggerations.
Finally, evidence from local mountain rescue highlighted factors contributing to the tragedy: Jay’s inexperience in rugged terrain, lack of suitable equipment, risky behaviour, and the treacherous mountain environment all played a role in his fatal fall. The official verdict—accidental death—was tinged with sadness, as friends and family reflected on a life cut short, and a series of what-ifs left hanging in the mountain air.
As the Slater family and their supporters try to come to terms with the findings, questions remain about the missing witnesses and the events that led to Jay’s solitary walk into the wild. The inquest may have concluded, but for those affected, the long road of grieving and seeking answers inevitably continues.