Analysis of Jay Slater’s mobile has revealed a number of failed payments as well as an unusual request from one of his friends.
Following the repatriation of the teenager’s body to the UK, an investigation into his death began which concluded in coroner Dr James Adeley announcing that he died from a fall in a tragic accident. The inquest included an examination of Jay’s iPhone 14 by Lancashire Police. This evidence was submitted in May when the inquest began, before proceedings were postponed to allow further efforts to trace missing witnesses.
Detective Chief Inspector Rachel Higson conducted a forensic assessment of Jay’s device and compiled a 16-page document detailing her discoveries which were restricted to data between June 16 and June 18 due to “data being overwritten”.
DCI Higson’s document discloses that Jay’s iPhone 14 underwent examination on April 25. The report’s summary indicates that “there is evidence of usage since the phone was returned from the Spanish authorities, this interaction with the device has resulted in data being overwritten”.
Incoming and outgoing communications during this period included Snapchat, Facebook Messenger, iMessage, WhatsApp and traditional calls/text messages, while his communication data, location and battery health were also looked at – which confirmed the exact time his phone ran out of battery.
During the inquest into Jay’s death several witnesses were asked if they were aware that Jay had “run out of money”. Ayub Qassim, one of the men who had rented the Airbnb where Jay was last seen, said he “might have heard something” about Jay having “no dough” but wasn’t sure.
Jay’s phone revealed that there were two failed payments, at 9.10pm and 9.11pm on the night before he disappeared. The failed payments were for 320 and 160 Euros to INFISEN INVERSIONES.
At 9.26pm Brandon Hodgson sent an unusual message to Jay in which he said: “Get that 2 ton out for me as well bro”.
Brandon sent a text to Jay later in which he urged him to come back and said Jay was “off his barnet”.
At 6.09am on Monday June 17 Jay sent an image showing his location to friend Bradley Geoghegan. At 7.08am Jay uploaded a video to Snapchat showing the location around the Airbnb in Masca.
Seconds later Jay uploaded another video to Snapchat. This seven-second video also shows the area close to the Airbnb. The location was confirmed using Global Positioning System data.
Jay’s phone revealed that, between 7.33am and 8.50am, there were several incoming and outgoing communications between Jay and his friends Lucy, Bradley and Brandon. The last activity on Jay’s phone was at 8.50:37.
The report also shows, using a spreadsheet, the decreasing battery life of Jay’s iPhone. At 8.27am it had three per cent, then two per cent at 8.33am and one per cent at 8.52am when it is believed that the mobile died.
In her conclusion, DCI Higson wrote: “There is frequent communication and activity through the phone throughout the 16th to 17th June until 8.51am following which there is no activity until the device is located and examined by Spanish authorities.
“Jay makes reference to being incapacitated (unspecified whether through drink or drugs). Attempts were made by Jay’s associates to locate him in order to return him home, he made it clear he wished to stay out and did not reply to multiple queries concerning his whereabouts.
“There is no evidence of any recorded health activity on Jay’s iPhone 14 after 8.49am on 17th June 2024. Battery life data corroborates accounts that Jay had stated his battery was running out of charge.
“The last recorded location data is consistent with the area of the island in which he was found. There is no evidence of any threat of harm towards Jay or indication that he was in fear for his safety.”