Jay Slater had drugs in his system before he died of head injuries, said investigation

teenager Jay Slater, who had disappeared in Tenerife last summer and triggered a large search, was found that he had drugs and alcohol in his system before he died of a head injury, as a coroner heard.

The 19 -year -old Slater from Oswaldwistle had a vacation on the Spanish island and was on June 16 last year in the NRG Music Festival with friends in the Papagayo nightclub in the night club of Playa de las Americas.

It is believed that in the early morning hours of the next day, a Monday, he went to an apartment with other people he had met on vacation, then disappeared and was reported on June 18 as missing.

On July 15, 2024, his body was found in a steep and inaccessible area by a mountain rescue team of the Spanish civil guard near the village of Masca.

His mother Debbie Duncan, stepfather and other family members took part in the death of Mr. Slater in the Preston Coroner's Court on Wednesday.

Live updates: Jay Slater Investigation after the death of the teenager in Tenerife

The hearing, which was planned for a day, was announced that extensive efforts, including lectures, had been issued for several witnesses that were in contact with Mr. Slater before his disappearance.

However, a number of witnesses had not reacted and would therefore not give any evidence. This included Bradley Geoghegan, Brandon Hodgson, Lucy Law and Leo McDermott.

The toxicological expert Dr. Stephanie Martin informed the hearing that there was difficulty checking the presence of drugs or alcohol in such a strongly decomposed body.

However, the analysis of Mr. Slater's body showed traces of the presence of MDMA and MDA, which are generally known as ecstasy together with cocaine and alcohol.

Dr. Due to the restrictions on the analysis, Martin said that she could not say exactly how much or how soon the drugs of drugs had been taken.

The analysis of the rehearsals of the Spanish authorities also showed the presence of ketamine, which was not found in the British rehearsals.

The home office pathologist Dr. Richard Shepherd detailed the injuries found by Mr. Slater from his findings after the mortem examination.

Dr. Shepherd said that apart from cutting wounds and cuts on the left side of his head, the most important findings are connected to head injuries and its pelvis.

He said: “There were extensive fractures of the left side of his head, several extensive fractures that stretched into the bottom of the skull.

“Even fractures on the left side of the pelvis and the hip joints.

“The pattern of the injuries completely matched a severe fall, a fall from a height that landed on his head.”

Dr. James Adeley, Senior Coroner for Lancashire and Blackburn with Darwen, asked the witness whether there was an attack or a restraint of the teenager after the injuries.

Dr. Shepherd said: “I carefully considered that, something that I always wanted to identify.

“The pattern of injuries, when someone is attacked or held back, differs greatly from the type of injuries and the pattern that I found with Jay.”

Dr. Adeley continued: “Nothing that indicates that this was the case?”

Dr. Shepherd: “Nothing that an attack, grasping, holding, does not suggest anything such.”

The witness was then asked what effects the skull injuries would have.

Dr. Shepherd said: “It would have had an immediate and devastating effect on Jay's awareness.

“The injuries were so serious that I would undoubtedly have been passed away from the moment of this blow on the head.

“Death could have been immediately that the injury was so serious. Jay would undoubtedly be passed out.

“It is most likely that death would have occurred immediately or shortly afterwards.”

Dr. Shephard said he had given the official cause of death as a head injury.

In a preliminary Spanish examination report after the mortem, death was recorded as “violent”, with the immediate cause of “traumatic shock” and a severe traumatic brain injury.

Dr. Shepherd said the results agree with his own findings.

Statements were read by the Spanish local Ramon Hernandez and Juan Diaz, who had worked near the holiday in which Mr. Slater remained.

At around 7.45 a.m., both statements said an “English-language guy” with half a liter bottle of Coca-Cola on the day that Mr. Slater disappeared, approaching them and asked when the local bus arrived.

The man, who was later identified as Mr. Slater, was informed that a bus came around 10 a.m.

He also asked for taxis, but he was informed that no local taxi service was available and the Spanish men then continued to work and did not see where Mr. Slater went.

The hearing continues.