Jay Slater: Guardia Civil 'can learn one major lesson from British police' amid missing teenager, says former Met detective

Police searching in Tenerife

Spanish police could learn a lesson from British forces in carrying out missing people inquiries following the case of Jay Slater, an ex-Met detective has suggested

PA/ GB News
Georgina Cutler

By Georgina Cutler


Published: 21/07/2024

- 07:00

Updated: 21/07/2024

- 11:26

A body found in Tenerife was confirmed as missing teenager Jay Slater on Monday

Spanish police could learn a lesson from British forces in carrying out missing people inquiries following the case of Jay Slater, an ex-Met detective has suggested.

A body found in Tenerife was confirmed as missing teenager Jay Slater on Monday, July 15 after he vanished while on his first holiday with friends.


Officials in Spain say the injuries suffered were compatible with a fall "in a rocky area".

The case saw huge speculation online which left Slater's family with "unanswered questions".

Police searching in TenerifeSpanish police could learn a lesson from British forces in carrying out missing people inquiries following the case of Jay Slater, an ex-Met detective has suggestedPA/ GB News

Ex detective, Peter Bleksley told GB News that Spain’s Guardia Civil could learn a vital lesson if they are faced with similar circumstances in future.

He said: "I think there are other lessons that perhaps the Guardia Civil could learn by how the British police carry out these inquiries, predominantly the allocation of a family liaison officer.

"I think if that had been done, it helps with the flow of information both ways, from police to family and friends and back.

"It can also keep the family much more in the loop about what is going on.

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Jay SlaterJay Slater went missing in Tenerife in June while on holiday with friendsPA

"Because if they have unanswered questions, it stands to reason that they might speculate about those or ask those questions through the media, which is kind of what happened to a certain extent.

"So maybe that's something the Guardia Civil might consider if ever faced with similar circumstances in the future."

The disappearance of Slater invited all manner of unsavoury conspiracy theories.

His mother, Debbie Duncan previously said that the "hardest" part for her was that the human remains were "found so close to the original search site" near the village of Masca.

Debbie Ducan and Jay Slater

His mother, Debbie Duncan previously said that the "hardest" part for her was that the human remains were "found so close to the original search site" near the village of Masca

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Ducan added that she has been left with "lots of questions".

Spanish police announced they would be ending their search almost two weeks after the teenager first vanished, but detectives carried on the investigation "under secrecy."

A spokesman for the Civil Guard confirmed earlier this week that "the lifeless body of the young man" was found in Rural de Teno national park.

The 19-year-old vanished in Tenerife on June 17 after he set off to walk back to his accommodation on the Spanish island.

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