Jay Slater and Nicola Bulley case link as final hearing set to take place
The inquest into Jay Slater's death will be overseen by the same coroner who presided over Nicola Bulley's hearing.
A final hearing on Jay's case, which saw the 19-year-old disappear in a remote area of Tenerife. Lancashire's Senior Coroner, Dr James Adeley, implemented an application system for members of the public who wanted to attend the inquest into Nicola's death last year. Security was tight at the two-day hearing at County Hall in Preston last June after Nicola's disappearance attracted global interest and conspiracy theories.
With crowds of press photographers and TV crews camped out by the entrances to the building members of the public were subjected to security checks with Dr Adeley warning attendees not to disrupt proceedings, following "unusual online commentary" about Nicola's death.
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An inquest into the death of 19-year-old Jay from Oswaldtwistle, whose body was found in a remote region of Tenerife four weeks after he disappeared, opened at Preston Coroner's Court last month.
A final hearing is expected to take place, possibly later this year, once Spanish authorities have forwarded the evidence relating to their investigation to Lancashire's Senior Coroner Dr James Adeley.
Dr Adeley has now confirmed to LancsLive that he will be holding the inquest into Jay's death. Given the likely interest the hearing is also expected to be held at County Hall in Preston.
While the authorities in Tenerife can hold their own coronial proceedings, the coroner in Lancashire, based in Preston, will always conduct an inquest once a body is repatriated back to the UK into their jurisdiction.
Under coronial law if a body is returned to the UK the coroner's jurisdiction arises when the coroner is made aware of the presence of a body in their jurisdiction with reasonable grounds to suspect they died and unnatural death such as an accident.
Apprentice bricklayer Jay disappeared after partying with friends on the island, sparking a four week search. Jay, from Oswaldtwistle, messaged friends on the morning of June 17, 2024, saying he was 28 miles away from their accommodation with one per cent phone battery.
Jay left an Airbnb property in Masca, to the north of the island, but missed the bus and attempted to walk back to his accommodation. On July 19, Jay's body was found in a ravine in the Rural de Tempo National Park. After confirming his identity, investigations concluded he died from a head injury.