Jay Slater’s mother has criticised TV investigator Mark Williams-Thomas for seeking publicity over her son’s death and urged him to disclose what he knows after he claimed to understand why the teenager left a Tenerife Airbnb.
Nineteen-year-old apprentice bricklayer Jay was last seen leaving the property around 7:30 am on June 17. He had gone there with convicted drug dealer Ayub Qassim, 31, and another man after an all-night rave.
Former detective Williams-Thomas flew to the Spanish island and promised answers within 72 hours. He spoke to several witnesses and Jay’s mother, Debbie Duncan.
Update on my involvement in the Jay Slater case pic.twitter.com/lkiUORtDzN
— Mark Williams-Thomas (@mwilliamsthomas) October 14, 2024
A month later, Jay’s body was found. Williams-Thomas, known for exposing Jimmy Savile, claims to know why Jay left the Airbnb in Masca but has withheld details.
As speculation around Jay’s disappearance intensified, distressing conspiracy theories emerged, hampering the search for the missing apprentice from Oswaldtwistle. Among the rumours were claims that Jay had been targeted by a criminal cartel for allegedly stealing a watch, which his family strongly denied.
Debbie Duncan, Jay’s mother, says online harassment has resumed following the TV detective’s recent statements.
Debbie, 55, said, “If he knows something, he should say it. Otherwise, it looks like a publicity stunt, and it’s affecting me badly. I’m still grieving, and his comments have triggered more trolling. Losing Jay was hard enough, but reading these comments is torture. I’m not okay; the last few hours have been awful.”
She added, “What he said has set me back. I wish he’d either share what he knows or stay out of it. We spoke briefly a few weeks ago to clear some things up. I was trying to remember details from those early weeks when I was distraught.”
Debbie continued, “He didn’t offer anything new, but now it’s all over the news again. I thought he might have some information, but now it seems like a PR stunt. It’s brought back the trolls, which is even sadder. I try to avoid it, but curiosity gets the better of me, and it hurts to see the same things repeated. I don’t understand why he said what he did. I didn’t sleep last night because of it. If he knows something, he should reveal it.”
She concluded, “Only one person knows what happened, and he’s not here to tell us. Everything else is speculation. From speaking to Jay’s friends, it seems he just wanted to keep partying. But I want to know more from the guy who was at the Airbnb.”
When asked about her coping, Debbie said, “I’m not. It’s still so raw. I’m not back at work; I’m struggling and still having counselling.”
My thoughts are especially today with Jay Slaters family and friends . He was a young lad enjoying life and as many young people do taking risks , but having fun . His family and friends have certainly shown how much he was loved by them & he will I am sure always be in their… pic.twitter.com/b8slHkuqZr
— Mark Williams-Thomas (@mwilliamsthomas) August 10, 2024
Williams-Thomas acknowledged the misinformation surrounding the case, admitting that initial information he received was inaccurate. In a video on social media, he explained, “There’s a huge amount of misinformation. Some early information wasn’t correct, and I needed to validate it.”
He mentioned having a “long conversation” with Jay’s mother and getting along well with her. “This case attracted worldwide attention and many conspiracy theories. From the start, I believed it was a tragic accident. There were significant issues I haven’t disclosed yet. Maybe, when the time is right, I will reveal them.”
He added, “I need to be careful not to add more trauma to the family. I will work closely with Debbie and the family to share any information when the time is right.”
In another video, he stated, “The evidence suggests Jay left the Airbnb suddenly and walked for 30 minutes before going off-road. At this stage, I can’t explain further.”
Qassim, who was jailed for nine years in 2015 for drug dealing, was tracked down by MailOnline. He insisted that Jay had “come to the house alive and left alive.”
The £40-a-night Airbnb is about a 45-minute drive from Los Cristianos, where Jay was staying with friends. He had arrived a few days earlier for a music festival, his first foreign holiday.
Qassim told MailOnline, “I let him stay because he had nowhere else to go. His friends had left him. I know Jay through friends; I wouldn’t bring someone I don’t know back to mine. I was doing him a favour, and now my face is all over the news. It’s mental. I haven’t done anything.”
Recently, Qassim posted a video on Instagram of Jose Mourinho at Chelsea, saying, “If I speak, I am in big trouble, and I don’t want to be in big trouble.”
What Other Media Are Saying
- Express reports Mark Williams-Thomas, an ex-police officer, claims to know why Jay Slater left Airbnb before his disappearance, promising to reveal the reason with the family’s consent, amidst public speculation and amateur sleuths’ interference.(read more)
- LADBible covers the investigation into Jay Slater’s death, with detective Mark Williams-Thomas claiming to know the reason he left the Airbnb and walked back, while emphasizing misinformation spread online.(read more)
Frequently Asked Questions
Here are some common questions asked about this news
Who is Jay Slater?
Jay Slater was a 19-year-old apprentice bricklayer from Oswaldtwistle.
Why did Jay Slater’s mother criticise Mark Williams-Thomas?
She criticised him for seeking publicity and not disclosing what he knows about her son’s death.
What did Mark Williams-Thomas claim to know?
He claimed to know why Jay left the Tenerife Airbnb but hasn’t disclosed the details.
What misinformation has surrounded Jay’s case?
Speculation included conspiracy theories, such as Jay being targeted by a cartel for stealing a watch.
How is Jay’s mother coping with his death?
She is struggling, not back at work, and still undergoing counselling.
