Police searching for Jay Slater investigate if teenager's background is 'relevant'

Spanish authorities are delving into the background of missing British teenager Jay Slater as part of their investigation into his disappearance.

While searching for Mr Slater in Tenerife, police rescued a Scottish hiker on Tuesday who was found "tired and disorientated" in the same area where Mr Slater was last seen.

The 51-year-old hiker had been reported missing after failing to return from a hike in Los Carrizales in Buenavista del Norte, according to the police. He had been missing for "several hours" since Friday.

READ MORE: Missing Jay Slater latest as Tenerife police call in help from Madrid

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Police stated that without assistance, the man would not have been able to escape the ravine due to the challenging terrain and poor communication signals in the location.

Despite this, the hiker, identified by MailOnline as David Larkin, insisted he "didn't need rescuing".

In the meantime, 19-year-old Mr Slater has been unheard from for over a week following his attendance at a music festival in Tenerife.

Mr Slater, hailing from Oswaldtwistle in Lancashire, went missing while trying to walk back to his accommodation during a holiday with two friends.

He disappeared around 8.50am last Monday, shortly after making a desperate call to his friend Lucy Law, with his phone battery at one percent, to say he was lost.

A significant search operation is ongoing to locate the teenager, with both of his parents travelling to the Spanish island to learn more about their son's mysterious disappearance.

As the search for 19 year old Mr Slater intensifies, with efforts focusing on a group of buildings where his phone was last detected, it has emerged that he has a criminal past.

The young man was implicated in a violent assault where another teenager was left in a critical condition after being pursued by a gang, including Mr Slater, wielding weapons such as a knife, golf clubs, and an axe.

Amidst ongoing investigations, Spanish authorities have stated they are keeping all options open.

A source disclosed to MailOnline: "In cases of missing people it's natural to investigate their background in case it's relevant to the hunt."

"This case is unusual as it's been a week and there has been no sighting or leads on him at all and searches have thrown up no clues."

"We have to consider the possibility of something else happening."

The revelation of Mr Slater's prior conviction has sparked numerous conspiracy theories online, prompting Tom Hilton, the victim of the attack, to urge people to "give it a rest".