Missing Jay Slater's employer hits out at 'cruel' messages as Tenerife searches continue

Jay Slater's employer has hit out at trolls as the search for the missing teenager continues. Jay, 19, vanished on the island of Tenerife last Monday after attending a music festival (June 17).

Members of the Spanish Civil Guard, local police, fire crews and mountain rescue teams are involved in an ongoing search of the vast and 'treacherous' Rural de Teno national park where he was last heard from. Jay's friends and family have also travelled to the island to assist the search.

Jay, 19, from Oswaldtwistle is an apprentice bricklayer employed by construction firm the PH Build Group, who are based in east Lancashire town. But the firm have now revealed they are being targeted by trolls as they slammed people online for posting "negative comments and conspiracy theories."

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In a post on Facebook, they shared an email referencing Jay's conviction following a machete attack in August 2021. The company said: "This is just one of many emails sent to us along with some great reviews. These people are trying to ruin people's lives and businesses sat behind a screen looking for attention.

"Everyone may have their own theories and feelings but to publicly post them knowing you are going hurt people is just cruel. Jay's family shouldn't have to endure this. The only thing that should matter right now is getting a 19-year-old son back to his family where he belongs."

The firm previously posted an appeal for help after he vanished but said they had been forced to remove and re-post it "due to all the negative comments and conspiracy theories."

"Jay has been with us since he left school and is liked by all. He's a valued member of our team and we stand by him. The picture being painted of him is just not true," they said.

"The fact is he's a 19-year-old lad missing in a foreign country. He needs to be back home where he belongs. Come on Jay we are all praying for you."

The victim in the machete attack case, Tom Hilton, has himself spoken out asking people to stop referencing the incident and instead to "help find this boy."

"Whoever is writing on these TikToks, give it a rest," he posted on Facebook. "This young lad's missing and his family's heartbroken. Put yourself in their shoes. Stop talking nonsense on social media and get this lad found, mentioning my name all this and that. Have some respect and help find this boy and get him back to his family."

Earlier this week, Jay's mum Debbie Duncan said the entire the entire family had endured horrific abuse online, including comparisons to Karen Matthews, who infamously orchestrated her own daughter's kidnapping.

Today (June 27) she told the Manchester Evening News the family are still in a 'living nightmare' and that they are "ignoring the social media side of things" as they focus on the search.

"I have every faith in them down on the ground and the amazing searches they are carrying out along with more amazing guys up there," she said.

"As a family we are in a living nightmare, We have no further updates other than that Jay is still missing. We are just ignoring the social media side of things. Just please pray for Jay."