A FORMER Met detective who investigated Jay Slater’s disappearance has said his drug dealer “pal” has to come forward and answer key questions from the inquest.
Mark Williams-Thomas – who worked on the Madeleine McCann case – conducted his “own investigation” after the 19-year-old went missing on the island of Tenerife in June last year.
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The inquest into Jay’s death was suddenly adjourned yesterday after his grieving mum Debbie pleased the coroner to summon crucial witnesses – including convicted drug dealer Ayub Qassim.
Detective turned TV-sleuth Mr Williams-Thomas said he had been in close contact during the investigation with a number of witnesses – including Jay’s family and friends.
Now he has urged Qassim to come forward and answer questions from the “disappointing” inquest.
Qassim took the 19-year-old Brit back to an Airbnb in Masca the night before he went missing on June 17.
Mr Williams-Thomas called Qassim “the most important witness” who he says gave him “crucial evidence” that “hasn’t been made public” yet.
The ex-detective added that the evidence he received from Qassim in his own investigation provides “greater context” as to why Jay left the villa.
Qassim was previously jailed for nine years in 2015 as the ringleader of a London-based gang dealing heroin and crack cocaine in Cardiff.
He and another Brit previously known only as “Rocky” had rented the Airbnb in the remote Tenerife mountains that they took Jay back to after the festival.
Jay posted a final Snapchat picture of himself smoking on the doorstep of the apartment at 7.30am on June 17 before leaving shortly after.
Qassim has always denied any involvement in Jay’s death.
Jay’s disappearance sparked widespread media interest – as well as a slew of social media conspiracy theories.
One of those theories claimed Jay had stolen a £12,000 watch – which his mum Debbie dismissed as vile rumours.
Josh Forshaw, who met Jay as they boarded a plane from Manchester to Tenerife, said he received a message from the teen before he disappeared.
It read: “Ended up getting thrown out with two Mali kids, just took an AP [luxury watch strap] off somebody and was on the way to sell it.”
Josh told the hearing via video link that Jay said he was planning to sell the strap for “10 quid”, slang for £10,000.
Josh told the hearing he received a Snapchat from Jay later in the night that claimed he “ended up getting thrown out” of the venue with two other people.
He also claimed Jay sent him a photo showing “knives down his trousers” that was captioned “in case it kicks off”.
Josh said he didn’t mention the image to Spanish police before leaving Tenerife, but did inform cops in Lancashire on his return.
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Speaking of Josh’s claim of receiving the knives image, Mr Williams-Thomas says he was told that they weren’t found with him and were left in the apartment.
Apprentice bricklayer Jay travelled to the Spanish island in June to attend the NRG music festival in Playa de las Americas with two friends, Lucy Law and Brad Hargreaves.
The teen travelled to an Airbnb apartment in Masca with two men including Qassim in the early hours of June 17, before leaving at around 8am.
Jay, of Oswaldtwistle, Lancs, made a heartbreaking final call to his friend Law saying he had cut his leg, was lost, dehydrated and had just one per cent battery on his phone after he left the Airbnb.
On Wednesday night, Law’s family revealed she was simply on holiday on the very same island where Jay died.
They claimed she was also unaware that she had been called to give evidence at the inquest.
Speaking at the family home in Burnley, Lucy’s stepfather Andy Davis said: “We had no idea Jay’s inquest was even being held today.
“The police have only just been round today to say that she was due to give evidence. But it’s the first time we knew of it.”
He added: “They asked if Lucy was home and I said she was abroad and they asked me if I was aware that she should have been in court, and I said I wasn’t.”
“The police said they had sent Lucy paperwork with the dates on it, but the first I knew about it was when the police turned up earlier today.”
Sources in the Slater family later said they were aware where the other missing witnesses were, and had also been able to find them easily, according to the MailOnline.
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The family source said: “Lucy is in Tenerife. Another supposedly untraceable witness is on holiday in Greece.
“If we can find this out so quickly why can’t the police?”
The court also heard a suggestion that witnesses may be reluctant to appear because drugs may have been involved.
After Jay’s body was found, officials said there were traces of cocaine, ecstasy and ketamine in his body.
Dr Adeley said: “When drugs are involved in a death, the witnesses are less than forthcoming and do not wish to speak to the authorities.”
Jay‘s disappearance and death remain largely cloaked in mystery and it is hoped that glaring gaps in his final movements will be filled after the inquest.
The inquest heard from three construction workers who said, via video link, they saw Jay on the main road through the remote village of Masca and he asked them about bus times.
He was attempting the treacherous 10-hour walk back to his apartment in Los Cristianos when he called Lucy to say he was lost.
DCI Rachel Higson, head of digital media investigations at Lancashire Police, told the hearing today that Jay’s phone recorded “a lot of steps and inclines” between 7.59am and 8.49am.
His mobile last pinged in the mountainous Rural de Teno Park after Jay walked the wrong way from the Airbnb, and DCI Higson said there was “no data recorded” after 8.49:51am.
After a month-long search, Jay’s body was found in a ravine on July 15 last year – near to where his phone last pinged.
A post-mortem examination concluded he died of traumatic head injuries, consistent with a fall from height.
Home Office pathologist Dr Richard Shepherd today told the inquest Jay suffered a “heavy fall from height” and the “devastating” effects would have been “immediate”.
Why the inquest farce is more pain for Jay’s family
By Katie Davis, Chief Foreign Reporter (Digital)
AS I stood in the sweltering, remote mountains of Masca I was told the news Jay Slater’s loved ones dreaded – his body had been found.
But for his devastated family, it didn’t bring the closure they so desperately needed.
Now almost a year on, his grief-stricken mum, dad and brother have been subjected to yet more torment as an inquest into his death dredged up painful details of his disappearance – while lacking any actual answers.
Jay’s courageous mum Debbie Duncan opened up to me just weeks after his body was found about how she was tortured by not knowing what happened to her beloved son before he fell to his death.
I was humbled by the bravery she showed in the face of living every parent’s worst nightmare on the world stage – relentlessly hounded by mindless trolls.
Spineless witnesses failing to turn up to the hearing to provide crucial information is a kick in the teeth for Debbie and his already suffering family.
The 19-year-old went missing 11 months ago, and his body tragically discovered 29 days later.
So why after all these months has the court failed to bring together vital witnesses – including the two friends he was on holiday with?
After months and months of battling through their grief, the last thing Jay’s family needed was to face a farce of a hearing without the necessary witnesses.
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