Investigator claims Jay Slater was 'scared' and unable to return to holiday rental prior to vanishing

A former British police detective investigating the disappearance of Jay Slater has suggested that he was scared before he left the holiday rental and went missing.

Mark Williams-Thomas, a seasoned investigator of numerous prominent missing person cases, spoke on Wednesday morning, delivering fresh insights into the apprentice bricklayer's final confirmed whereabouts.

Adding weight to the mystery, the renowned TV investigator announced that 19-year-old Jay had said he was too frightened to return to the property, which has consequently been searched by Spanish officers.

READ MORE: Jay Slater's mum speaks of 'extremely distressing' detail as she makes urgent plea

Having arrived at the picturesque house Jay, who had travelled there with two older British men, went missing after leaving it at 8am on June 17.

Mr Williams-Thomas, 54, said: "We have received information that would suggest Jay left the rental property feeling scared and that he would not return to the rental, even though that would have been the most sensible course of action, and also where he could have charged his phone and got water," reports the Mirror.

He said Jay was advised to return to the property, but declined. He said: "He was told to go back to the rental. He said he could not do that and that he had already been walking 30 minutes and that he was now off the road and walking on a track, where there were loose stones."

Spanish law enforcement have noted that the interrogation of the two British males, both of whom have reportedly engaged with authorities before departing the island, is unrelated to the ongoing search for the missing teen.

New details have emerged about Jay's behaviour before his mysterious disappearance, as Mr Williams-Thomas, the investigator whose work exposed Jimmy Savile in an ITV documentary, claimed the missing man had shared a social media post flaunting a stolen Rolex watch.

In a video statement released today on social platforms, Mr Williams-Thomas said: "On route Jay posted a Snapchat saying that they had taken a £12,000 Rolex from a person. We have been unable to validate this in terms of a reported theft. However, friends of Jay say he would not make this up and the watch was the subject of a later conversation between them."

Mr Williams-Thomas, acclaimed for leading the ITV Exposure documentary titled 'The Other Side of Jimmy Savile', stepped into Jays case after contacting Jay's mother Debbie Duncan, aged 55, from Oswaldtwistle, Lancs. Debbie took up his offer to assist with her son's case free-of-charge.

The seasoned investigator was spotted conducting investigations on June 24 at the vacation rental where Jay stayed as well as Papagayo nightclub, one of the last places where Jay was reportedly seen.

Mr Williams-Thomas has gained insights from meeting with Jay's inner circle, including his young friends, Brad Hargreaves, 19 and Lucy Mae Law, 18, who accompanied Jay on the ill-fated trip. He maintains regular communication with Jay's kin and has recently delivered an initial report of his findings to them.

READ MORE: Jay Slater's friend says two Airbnb men he was last seen with were not 'random'

Jay was last seen departing the holiday let, situated over 20 miles and an 11-hour trek from the Los Cristianos flat where he was holidaying with friends Brad and Lucy. He rang her at 8.30am, a mere 20 minutes before his mobile's final 'ping' near the La Cruz de Hilda lookout in Parque Rural de Teno nature reserve.

Criminologist Mr Williams-Thomas shared: "I have spoken to lots of witnesses and have a clear picture of what happened overnight of Sunday 16th through to the morning of 17th June. We know that shortly before 6am on Monday 16th June Jay left the area of Veronica's Strip, Las Americas, in a Seat Leon hire car with two males casually known to him."

"Jay and a number of his friends had spent time with them on and off over the previous two days. All three males, including Jay, then travelled north via the main motorway, the TF-1, to go to the two males' holiday rental Casa Abuela Tina in Masca, which was about an hour away."

"Not long after arriving at the rental Jay, at around 7am, Jay had contact with various friends via social media both inside and outside the rental."

"During these calls various video chats were had and pictures sent, including the one he took on the doorstep, which they are confident is him, wearing a throw or blanket from the apartment and his black and green Air Max trainers that he had gone out in that night."

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"We know around 0800 there was a level of communication with the host of the rental property in which she communicated via hand digits to him that the bus would leave at 10am from the bus stop by the apartment. With this, Jay walked off turning left and up the hill."

"Jay had an Apple iPhone. Apple Maps takes you that route if walking back to Los Cristianos, where he was staying. We know then at 8.49am and 8.50am Jay sent his location via both snapchat and WhatsApp to two friends. We can confirm that it was Jay using his phone at this stage."

"The location was fixed by GPS and we have done tests in that area and it is accurate to five to 10 metres. The fixed point is the Barranco Juan Lopez hiking path which fits the description given by the witnesses that spoke to him stating that he was on a stony path."

"From this point no further contact is had with Jay because his phone battery dies and there have been no confirmed sightings of him."

Mr Williams-Thomas says he has ruled out that Jay has been kidnapped, despite his mum Debbie previously saying she believed that was what had happened to him, as he says "no credible ransom demand has been made". He added: "We have no evidence at this stage to say there was any third-party criminal involvement in Jay's disappearance."

"However, there are still a number of outstanding actions and therefore we still remain open minded to the possibility of this changing. The evidence strongly supports that Jay walked off and was walking for at least 30 minutes off the road on a track before he last had contact with friends, with a very accurate location pin drop at 8.50am."

"I would make an appeal for landowners in the area of Teno Rural Park to check any outbuildings and land that they have and hope that some further searches will continue by volunteers in the area not yet searched."

Mr Williams-Thomas stated he keeps regular communication with Jay's family and informed them about the current developments. He mentioned: "I have largely remained silent to date with our investigation, not giving any interviews, but have felt the need to make a clear statement of facts, which I have advised the family I would be doing today."

"This has been done as I hope it will enable people to accept the evidential facts and thus reduce the number of inaccurate information that is being published and circulated."

"You will appreciate that as part of our investigation we have spoken to a significant number of witnesses, including Jay's friends, who have fully engaged with us and as such we have received a significant amount of both personal and sensitive information which we will not be releasing."

He further stated: "It is now into the 16th day since 19-year Jay Slater vanished. In that time his disappearance has attracted worldwide media attention and as such extensive coverage on social media."

"This has led to massive speculation, with theories at times very misleading and with inaccurate information. Overwhelmingly people are fascinated and as such want to do their bit to help, whether that be doing their own detective work or just providing comment."

"What people often lose sight of, don't consider, and I am sure for a few, don't care, is that Jay's family and close friends read a lot of the media and some comments have been so unfair and unkind to a family who right now are in total shock and despair."

"Please just think before you post, and if you would not say it about your missing loved one then don't say or post it now."