Jay Slater informed pal he was going to Airbnb to ‘promote stolen watch’ | UK | News | EUROtoday

Jay Slater informed his mate he was going to a distant Airbnb “to sell a watch” he had beforehand “taken,” his inquest has heard. The 19-year-old’s pal, Brad Hargreaves, has been giving proof at Jay Slater’s inquest in Preston this morning (July 24).

Jay, an apprentice bricklayer from Oswaldtwistle, Lancashire, was found useless on July 15 final yr on the Juan Lopez Ravine in Tenerife. He had vanished on June 17, after leaving a celebration in Playa de las Americas and travelling north to a secluded Airbnb in Masca, earlier than attempting to return on foot. Rumours surrounding whether or not Jay had nicked a Rolex watch have been extensively reported on the time, whereas it was additionally mentioned on the earlier listening to of Jay’s inquest in May.

Speaking to the coroner this morning (July 24), Brad stated he acquired a Snapchat from Jay, wherein he confessed he had ‘taken a watch’.

In one other Snapchat message, Jay stated he was returning to the Airbnb in Masca with Ayub Qassim and Steven ‘Rocky’ Roccas.

Brad informed the court docket: “I didn’t think anything of it because there are a lot of people selling fake stuff on the strip. Loads of watches.”

Brad informed the inquest that Jay stated he was going “to sell a watch” whereas on the Airbnb.

Asked why he did not query Jay additional about this, Brad replied: “Because I was under the influence of drugs.”

But, in his personal proof to the court docket, Ayub stated that Jay hadn’t stolen the watch.

He informed the court docket there was a “Romanian looky looky guy” who was promoting pretend watches. The man tried promoting a watch to Ayub and he stated: “nah, I don’t want that, it’s fake”.

“One thing I can say is that Jay didn’t steal no watch,” he tells the court docket.

Asked why Jay can be saying he had stolen a watch if he hadn’t, Ayub stated it may have been bravado.

“When you’re younger you might exaggerate things,” he stated.

“But 100% I didn’t see a watch getting taken, maybe he was just bigging himself up to his pals.”

Jay, Brad and their mate Lucy Law had been launched to Ayub and Rocky by one other contact, Brandon Hodgson.

Brandon can’t be positioned to offer proof, the court docket heard at the moment.

Discussing the watch scenario, Brad informed the coroner the ‘solely factor’ he is aware of about it’s what Jay stated on Snapchat, however he urged Brandon knew extra.

“That’s why I thought Brandon should be here because he knows a lot more about it than just the Snapchat,” he added.

Previously, Brad had informed the court docket that on the night time earlier than Jay disappeared, Brad says the buddies had been out for drinks till 6pm earlier than heading to the competition, the place they ‘break up up as a result of it was so busy’. Brad recounted how Jay was ‘ejected’ from a membership for being ‘so drunk he could not arise’, however later seemed to be in a ‘higher state’.

He informed the court docket that Jay had taken ecstasy and cocaine that night time, describing him as ‘giddy’.

Brad remembered his final face-to-face dialog with Jay at Magic Mike’s takeaway, the place Jay introduced he was ‘gonna keep’ with Ayub and Rocky.

The inquest heard that the Jay video known as Brad from the Airbnb in Masca, displaying out of bed they’d ready for him.

Jay made one other name through Snapchat whereas he was ‘strolling down a street’, which turned out to be his ultimate dialog with Brad.

Brad informed the inquest: “At that point I might have been feeling a bit worried. He said ‘I’m gonna come back down’ and he was asking if we had any drinks left at the apartment.”

When Brad requested Jay how far he was from the house, Jay checked his cellphone and responded ’14 hours’ stroll’.

“I said wow, why are you so far away, get a taxi back,” Brad informed the court docket. “He then said ‘I’ll ring you back’ and that was the last time I spoke to Jay.”