Former Met Police detective Peter Bleksley believes the Spanish police made one savvy move that allowed them to operate “away from the public gaze” in the search for Jay Slater.
A body was found yesterday in the search for the missing teen who vanished on the Spanish holiday island of Tenerife last month.
Charity LBT Global said that the remains were found with the 19-year-old’s clothes and possessions near his last known location, but formal identification is yet to take place.
Speaking on GB News, Bleksley had praise for the police, but also felt scrutiny they were faced with when they called off the search on 30 June was justified.
Peter Bleksley has praised the Spanish police
GB NEWS / PA / HANDOUT
“After they told the public they were cancelling the search after 12 days, which attracted some criticism, and understandably so, it would appear they have gone about their business away from the public gaze”, he said.
“It was also away from media scrutiny. They have now of course tragically found these remains.”
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Bleksley offered a warning as he spoke to Eamonn Holmes and Isabel Webster about any post-mortem taking place with the remains.
The former detective feels that if the body does belong to Slater, it is likely that “significant decomposition” will have taken place, making it difficult for authorities to establish the cause of death.
“The formal identification will most likely come through DNA testing”, he said.
“There will be a post mortem which will try to establish the cause of death.
Peter Bleksley joined Eamonn Holmes and Isabel Webster on GB News
GB NEWS
“Unfortunately, if these are Jay’s remains, having been out in the open air for four weeks, there will have been significant decomposition of the body and it may be challenging to establish the cause of death.
“I mustn’t jump the gun. We shall have to wait and see. I don’t think it will take long for a post mortem.”
Bleksley added the Spanish police were likely “right in their thinking” with a theory they put forward in the early stages of the search for the 19-year-old, who went missing after a night out.
“They were perhaps right in their thinking from the beginning”, he said.
Spanish Police have been searching for Jay Slater in ravines and mountainous terrain
Reuters“They focused their search in and around this incredibly difficult terrain of gulleys, ravines and huge undergrowth which is sometimes impossible to navigate.
“They stuck to that theory and didn’t pay attention to all of that noise created on social media platforms. The gossip, the rumours, the conspiracy theories.
“They were the best informed group of people out of anybody. They will say to themselves ‘we were right at the start and our procedures have been vindicated’.”
Slater had attended the NRG music festival with two friends before his disappearance, and his last known location was the Rural de Teno Park in the north of the Canary Island, which was about an 11-hour walk from his accommodation.
Jay Slater went missing in Tenerife on June 17PA He had travelled to an Airbnb in Masca after a night out, but the two men said to have rented the property were later ruled “not relevant” to the case.
LBT Global, which supports the families of British people missing overseas, said: “LBT Global is saddened to announce that a body found in Tenerife does look to be that of Jay Slater.
“It is understood the body was found close to the site of his mobile phone’s last location.
“Although formal identification is yet to be carried out, the body was found with Mr Slater’s possessions and clothes.
“A post-mortem examination and forensic inquiries will follow.
“LBT Global are supporting the family at this distressing time and ask for everyone to afford them space and privacy to come to terms with the news.”