Spanish police could solve Jay Slater mystery by doing two key things says missing persons expert - Manchester Evening News

To crack the case of missing Jay Slater, an ex-British police officer is suggesting that Tenerife detectives need to take a dual approach. The missing persons expert, Charlie Hedges, has told Spanish authorities that there are two crucial next steps to take in their investigation, 15 days after Jay vanished on holiday.

Confirmation came on Sunday from the Civil Guard that they'd concluded the search for Jay after almost a fortnight scouring the rugged terrain in Tenerife near to where Jay went missing. The 19-year-old from Oswaldtwistle, Lancashire, disappeared without leaving a trace on Monday, June 17.

The apprentice bricklayer had travelled to a Masca village Airbnb, roughly a 40-minute drive away from his tourist residence, alongside two British acquaintances who he connected with during his holiday. At approximately 8am on the missing Monday, Jay reached out to his pal Lucy Law, mentioning efforts to return by foot, an 11-hour walk, reports the Mirror.

READ MORE: Jay Slater's mum makes desperate plea to police after search called off

Subsequent to their phone chat, Jay's mobile connection was lost and no one has seen or heard from him ever since. An extensive search campaign marshalled units including dog squads specialised in scent detection and aerial assistance scouring the remote terrains near his phone's last signal location.

No trace has been found of Jay Slater who disappeared over two weeks ago in Tenerife (Image: Men Media)

Despite two weeks of relentless searching yielding no results, and with the official search wound up, there are lingering questions about what steps should come next. A spokeswoman from the Civil Guard stated: "The search operation has now finished although the case remains open."

Charlie Hedges MBE has offered advice to Spanish police on the next steps in their investigation. Charlie, who has penned a book about his experiences with Thames Valley Police and the National Crime Agency, emphasised the importance of preventing Jay's disappearance from becoming a cold case, suggesting two crucial points.

1. Investigate all possibilities

Charlie advised Spanish detectives to consider every possible reason for Jay's disappearance, including potential foul play. "They should be keeping their minds open and examining all lines of inquiries," he told The Sun.

The Civil Guard has previously stated that they are considering all possibilities regarding Jay's disappearance, including questioning the two men he was last seen with. Cipriano Martin, who led the mountain search, confirmed last week that detectives had spoken to, and ruled out, these two individuals.

British detective Mark Williams-Thomas, who travelled to Tenerife to assist the family, suggested last week that Jay may have suffered a "natural harm", but did not dismiss the possibility of third-party involvement. The TV investigator stated: "A strong working hypothesis remains that Jay has come to natural harm in the terrain as he took the rugged course back down the hill from the point of his location drop , where I am confident now that he was at 8.50am last Monday morning."

Mark Williams-Thomas said Jay either had befallen an accident or met foul play (Image: Stan Kujawa)

During a press briefing last Wednesday, Mark outlined "two scenarios", remarking: "He has either come to harm by his own accident, up in the hills somewhere, but not directly by the rental. Or, there is a third party involvement. I cannot rule that out at the moment."

2. Go back and search other areas

The extensive two-week search for Jay involved mountain rescue teams and volunteers combing through ravines, caves, and vast stretches of scrub and rugged terrain. A source close to the Civil Guard later indicated that "nothing of relevance" had been uncovered.

Charlie acknowledged that while the police in Tenerife can't continue the search indefinitely, it remains crucial to keep the area under surveillance to prevent the case from going cold. "I had been wondering for a few days whether we were approaching [the search being called off]," he admitted.

"There is only so much you can search."

The Civil Guard called off the search on Sunday - 24 hours after commandeering a huge search with volunteers (Image: Stan Kujawa)

However, he suggested that "But it may be appropriate to go back and search some areas based on the information they're seeking at the moment."

Brad Hargreaves, Jay's best friend, previously stated he believed he heard Jay "slip on rocks" during their last phone conversation, and Lucy Law, another friend, mentioned that Jay had informed her he'd cut his leg on a cactus. These accounts imply he was navigating off-trail when the incident occurred.

The Civil Guard has committed to continuing the investigation as new information or tips emerge.

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2024-07-02 05:18:00Z
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Starmer advances on the Tory countryside with his flag of unenthusiastic hope - The Guardian

The meta we now take for granted. Events that take place purely because people expect events to take place. Hours of planning for each one. A venue to be booked. Activists to be bussed in to provide local colour. All of whom will become part of the background so we could be almost anywhere. The meta tipping into the surreal. Events that will be forgotten even before they are over. Unlikely to make much more than a 20-second clip on the rolling news channels.

But elections abhor a vacuum. Without a daily stream of events, the politicians would be lost. Lose their sense of purpose. Just imagine if none of the broadcasters turned up. It would throw everyone into a deeper than usual existential crisis. The crumbling of the fragile ego. Was anyone really here? Did it even happen? The metaphysical world would be in chaos.

All for that most elusive of creatures: the undecided voter. We all know they are out there somewhere. It’s possible that one or two may even have nothing better to do than watch Sky News round the clock and have caught the soundbite of the day. But would that really be enough to change anyone’s mind? Really?

After nearly six weeks on the election campaign, how likely is it that anyone will hear something they’ve heard countless times before and say to themselves: “That’s it. I’ve now made up my mind. Thank God that bloke kept repeating himself.” More realistically, these people will make up their minds on the day. How they vote will depend on how they feel once they are in the polling station. Here all the party leaders can hope is that somehow they’ve buried their message in the nation’s subconscious. The subliminal campaign.

So at a presentational level, all we’re left with is the symbolism. And in this, Keir Starmer’s lunchtime visit to a pub in rural Buckinghamshire came with flashing lights. When was the last time a Labour leader made a fleeting pit stop deep in the traditional Tory heartlands with just three days until the polls open? Or at any time during a campaign for that matter? Normally at this stage it’s all about shoring up the core vote.

Nor was this a one-off. Monday morning had started off in Hitchin and would end in a farm near Chipping Norton. No, not Jeremy Clarkson’s. Things aren’t quite that bad for the Tories yet. Though Rishi Sunak may not agree. Starmer planting his flag on Lord Big Dave’s back lawn is quite the fuck you. Who knows, maybe Sam Cam had suggested it herself. I’ve always suspected that her support for Big Dave was conditional. The only person left who thinks the Tories have a prayer is Michael Gove. And he’s out of his head on drugs. Whatever he’s taking, it’s best avoided.

Nor did the symbolism stop there. There was a time when Labour’s election planning was decidedly amateur hour. A bit endearingly like the Liberal Democrats. You’d all pitch up, no one would much care who you were or why you were there and the event would take on a laid-back feel.

Now the Labour operation runs a tight ship. First you get an operational note. You then get a second email confirming you have been accredited. But no location, so you can’t book a train or make travel arrangements. The venue will only be divulged at 6am on the day of the event. So you wake up at 6 only to get another email giving the nearest town but no more. The final destination will be sent later by dead letter drop. This for a bog standard stump speech lasting no more than 10 minutes. It’s almost as if they don’t want you there.

Not that the Labour staffers aren’t unfailingly polite and chatty when you do get there. We even get offered the Labour merch du jour. A pillow case with Sunak’s face alongside the slogan “Don’t wake up to five more years of the Tories”. The stuff of nightmares. The Brave New World starts here.

Labour is winning the ground war hands down. But there are strict rules. To wait where we are told to wait. Not to go wandering. The security is that tight. Five men with earpieces and who knows what else under their jackets. The police clearly think they are dealing with the next prime minister. Then, only the Govester doesn’t believe that.

The event starts with an introduction from Callum Anderson, the Labour candidate for the new constituency of Buckingham and Bletchley. He looks and sounds impressive. If slightly scarily on message. Even his dreams are Labour party-approved. He will be an asset in Westminster if elected. The choice is change or more of the same, he says. Which do we want?

“Change,” barks Snoopy the lakeland terrier.

“Quite right,” says Callum.

Though it was possible Snoopy may have been thinking of last night’s football. Starmer smiles. The football has been another part of his long-term planning. Persuade Gareth Southgate to get his squad to play like a bunch of halfwits for the first four games so everyone blames the Tories. Then switch into overdrive for the quarter-finals onwards. The Swiss don’t have a prayer. England only win trophies under a Labour government.

Then Keir takes over. Repeating the same stump speech he has been making for the last five and a half weeks. You know the drill. Cost of living. Tory chaos. You can only get change if you vote for it. Apart from Labour itself. That has managed to change precisely because no one voted for it. Fourteen years of division and chaos. Take nothing for granted.

There is even, for once, just a glimmer of hope in what he says. Normally he doesn’t allow this to creep in. Anything that the Tory media could portray as triumphalism is strictly off limits. It’s not over till it’s over. Obviously joy is a no-no. This isn’t an election in which anyone is meant to feel positive. What’s on offer is that things will be a little less shit than they otherwise would have been. That’ll do, I suppose. But we are now allowed some unenthusiastic hope. My kind of message.

Still, why interrupt your opponent when he’s making mistakes? Sunak appears to be in meltdown. Becoming less and less classy as time goes on. Now he’s just clutching at straws. Making up all sorts of nonsense that he knows to be untrue. The latest is that Starmer will appease Putin. Not even Rish! believes that. Not even willing to lose with grace. At this rate he will have no legacy left to protect.

• Guardian Newsroom: Election results special. On Friday 5 July, 7.30pm-9pm BST, join Hugh Muir, Gaby Hinsliff, John Crace, Jonathan Freedland and Zoe Williams for unrivalled analysis of the general election results. Book tickets here or at theguardian.live.

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UK general election live: Reform candidate Georgie David quits campaign claiming 'majority of party is racist, misogynistic and bigoted' - The Telegraph

A Reform candidate has suspended her campaign and endorsed the Conservative Party.

Georgie David, who was standing for Reform in the seat of West Ham and Beckton, said she was quitting with “immediate effect”.

Ms David said in a statement first issued to the BBC: “I am hereby announcing my decision to leave the Reform Party and stand down as their candidate for West Ham and Beckton, with immediate effect.

“I am in no doubt that the party and its senior leadership are not racist. However, as the vast majority of candidates are indeed racist, misogynistic, and bigoted, I do not wish to be directly associated with people who hold such views that are so vastly opposing to my own and what I stand for.”

Ms David said she had “now suspended my campaign with Reform, and I am endorsing the Conservative Party – I would encourage all of my fellow patriots to do the same”.

Reform UK has been contacted for comment.

You can follow the latest updates below and join the conversation in the comments section. 

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Deliver a hung parliament and deny Labour a majority, Sunak pleads to voters - The Telegraph

Rishi Sunak has suggested voters could deliver a hung parliament by only 130,000 people switching to the Tories, as he urged the public to deny Labour a majority.

On Tuesday, the Prime Minister will declare that the election “is not a foregone conclusion” if 130,000 people were to switch their votes, because it would “deny Starmer that supermajority”.

The figures are based on analysis of a YouGov poll that suggested Labour would lose the entirety of its projected majority if that many voters turned away from the party.

It is the latest in a series of warnings from Mr Sunak not to hand Sir Keir Starmer a “blank cheque” on polling day.

On Tuesday, Mr Sunak will say: “The outcome of this election is not a foregone conclusion. If just 130,000 people switch their vote and lend us their support, we can deny Starmer that supermajority.

“Just think about that: you have the power to use your vote to prevent an unchecked Labour government.”

The figure is based on analysis from The Times newspaper last month of a YouGov Multilevel Regression and Post-stratification (MRP) poll, which uses survey results to predict results in individual seats.

The pollster predicted that Labour would win 425 seats, leaving the Conservatives trailing on 108.

But The Times found that Labour would lose its 200-strong majority entirely if only 132,000 voters in the most tightly fought constituencies voted for the second-place party instead.

Mr Sunak will add: “A huge number of seats in this election will be decided by only hundreds of votes.

“So, every vote we move will have an impact and make it more likely that your Conservative candidate is returned to Parliament so that they can be your voice, represent your values and stand up for you.”

Tory figures have urged voters not to turn their backs on the party in favour of Reform UK, which has surged in popularity since Nigel Farage assumed the role of leader.

On Monday, Mr Sunak insisted again that a vote for Reform would help to put Sir Keir into No 10.

The Conservatives have failed to significantly move the dial over the course of the election campaign, with polls still showing a strong double-digit lead for Labour.

On Monday, Mr Sunak insisted again that a vote for Reform would help to put Sir Keir Starmer into No 10 Credit: Dan Kitwood/Getty Pool

Some polls have suggested that the Conservatives are headed for a wipeout, with a MRP for The Telegraph last month predicting that about three-quarters of the Cabinet could lose their seats.

It comes as allies of a potential Tory leadership contender have said that any post-election leadership battle must not be dragged out, otherwise there will be no opposition to Sir Keir.

The sources, allies of those on the Right of the party, hit back at suggestions that any contest should be delayed for months – perhaps as late as December – to allow the party to regroup.

They say such a move would “allow Starmer to have no opposition until January”.

Mr Sunak has suggested he would stay on as leader if the Conservatives were to lose on Thursday Credit: Dan Kitwood/Getty Images Europe

There was also a backlash against any move to deny the membership a vote in the leadership election, with a source close to one candidate describing it as “insane”.

A source said: “The biggest winner would be Nigel Farage’s Reform party.”

Meanwhile, Mr Sunak suggested he would stay on as leader if the Conservatives were to lose on Thursday.

He told the BBC: “I love this party dearly and of course I’ll always put myself at the service of it and the service of my country.”

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Starmer advances on the Tory countryside with his flag of unenthusiastic hope - The Guardian

The meta we now take for granted. Events that take place purely because people expect events to take place. Hours of planning for each one. A venue to be booked. Activists to be bussed in to provide local colour. All of whom will become part of the background so we could be almost anywhere. The meta tipping into the surreal. Events that will be forgotten even before they are over. Unlikely to make much more than a 20-second clip on the rolling news channels.

But elections abhor a vacuum. Without a daily stream of events, the politicians would be lost. Lose their sense of purpose. Just imagine if none of the broadcasters turned up. It would throw everyone into a deeper than usual existential crisis. The crumbling of the fragile ego. Was anyone really here? Did it even happen? The metaphysical world would be in chaos.

All for that most elusive of creatures: the undecided voter. We all know they are out there somewhere. It’s possible that one or two may even have nothing better to do than watch Sky News round the clock and have caught the soundbite of the day. But would that really be enough to change anyone’s mind? Really?

After nearly six weeks on the election campaign, how likely is it that anyone will hear something they’ve heard countless times before and say to themselves: “That’s it. I’ve now made up my mind. Thank God that bloke kept repeating himself.” More realistically, these people will make up their minds on the day. How they vote will depend on how they feel once they are in the polling station. Here all the party leaders can hope is that somehow they’ve buried their message in the nation’s subconscious. The subliminal campaign.

So at a presentational level, all we’re left with is the symbolism. And in this, Keir Starmer’s lunchtime visit to a pub in rural Buckinghamshire came with flashing lights. When was the last time a Labour leader made a fleeting pit stop deep in the traditional Tory heartlands with just three days until the polls open? Or at any time during a campaign for that matter? Normally at this stage it’s all about shoring up the core vote.

Nor was this a one-off. Monday morning had started off in Hitchin and would end in a farm near Chipping Norton. No, not Jeremy Clarkson’s. Things aren’t quite that bad for the Tories yet. Though Rishi Sunak may not agree. Starmer planting his flag on Lord Big Dave’s back lawn is quite the fuck you. Who knows, maybe Sam Cam had suggested it herself. I’ve always suspected that her support for Big Dave was conditional. The only person left who thinks the Tories have a prayer is Michael Gove. And he’s out of his head on drugs. Whatever he’s taking, it’s best avoided.

Nor did the symbolism stop there. There was a time when Labour’s election planning was decidedly amateur hour. A bit endearingly like the Liberal Democrats. You’d all pitch up, no one would much care who you were or why you were there and the event would take on a laid-back feel.

Now the Labour operation runs a tight ship. First you get an operational note. You then get a second email confirming you have been accredited. But no location, so you can’t book a train or make travel arrangements. The venue will only be divulged at 6am on the day of the event. So you wake up at 6 only to get another email giving the nearest town but no more. The final destination will be sent later by dead letter drop. This for a bog standard stump speech lasting no more than 10 minutes. It’s almost as if they don’t want you there.

Not that the Labour staffers aren’t unfailingly polite and chatty when you do get there. We even get offered the Labour merch du jour. A pillow case with Sunak’s face alongside the slogan “Don’t wake up to five more years of the Tories”. The stuff of nightmares. The Brave New World starts here.

Labour is winning the ground war hands down. But there are strict rules. To wait where we are told to wait. Not to go wandering. The security is that tight. Five men with earpieces and who knows what else under their jackets. The police clearly think they are dealing with the next prime minister. Then, only the Govester doesn’t believe that.

The event starts with an introduction from Callum Anderson, the Labour candidate for the new constituency of Buckingham and Bletchley. He looks and sounds impressive. If slightly scarily on message. Even his dreams are Labour party-approved. He will be an asset in Westminster if elected. The choice is change or more of the same, he says. Which do we want?

“Change,” barks Snoopy the lakeland terrier.

“Quite right,” says Callum.

Though it was possible Snoopy may have been thinking of last night’s football. Starmer smiles. The football has been another part of his long-term planning. Persuade Gareth Southgate to get his squad to play like a bunch of halfwits for the first four games so everyone blames the Tories. Then switch into overdrive for the quarter-finals onwards. The Swiss don’t have a prayer. England only win trophies under a Labour government.

Then Keir takes over. Repeating the same stump speech he has been making for the last five and a half weeks. You know the drill. Cost of living. Tory chaos. You can only get change if you vote for it. Apart from Labour itself. That has managed to change precisely because no one voted for it. Fourteen years of division and chaos. Take nothing for granted.

There is even, for once, just a glimmer of hope in what he says. Normally he doesn’t allow this to creep in. Anything that the Tory media could portray as triumphalism is strictly off limits. It’s not over till it’s over. Obviously joy is a no-no. This isn’t an election in which anyone is meant to feel positive. What’s on offer is that things will be a little less shit than they otherwise would have been. That’ll do, I suppose. But we are now allowed some unenthusiastic hope. My kind of message.

Still, why interrupt your opponent when he’s making mistakes? Sunak appears to be in meltdown. Becoming less and less classy as time goes on. Now he’s just clutching at straws. Making up all sorts of nonsense that he knows to be untrue. The latest is that Starmer will appease Putin. Not even Rish! believes that. Not even willing to lose with grace. At this rate he will have no legacy left to protect.

• Guardian Newsroom: Election results special. On Friday 5 July, 7.30pm-9pm BST, join Hugh Muir, Gaby Hinsliff, John Crace, Jonathan Freedland and Zoe Williams for unrivalled analysis of the general election results. Book tickets here or at theguardian.live.

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2024-07-01 22:57:00Z
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Stoke-on-Trent mum given indefinite hospital after killing two children and stabbing partner - Birmingham Live

A mum has been made the subject of an indefinite hospital order after she killed her two children. Veronique John, 50, also stabbed her partner following the incident but he survived his injuries.

John, of Stoke-on-Trent, was deemed unfit to plead by the court. She was subject to a trial of facts at Nottingham Crown Court which she did not participate in.

Police had been called to a car wash on Campbell Road, Stoke, following reports that a man had been stabbed on June 11 last year. Officers then travelled to a home on Flax Street where they found Ethan, 11, and Elizabeth, seven, with "significant injuries."

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Both of the children were unresponsive and died at the scene. John was made the subject of an indefinite hospital order today (Monday, July 1).

She was unable to stand trial after the court determined she was unfit to do so, meaning that criminal proceedings were unable to continue. The jury concluded that Veronique John carried out the attacks on her two children and her partner.

Elizabeth and Ethan John (Image: Staffordshire Police)

Detective Chief Inspector Cheryl Hannan, from Staffordshire Police's Major Investigations Department, said: "This case was distressing for all involved, it was traumatic for the local community and has left so many people devastated by what happened.

"It’s not lost on me nor any of the officers that were involved in this investigation the lasting effect it will have on the many people that knew Ethan and Elizabeth, and the fond memories they have of them.

"My thoughts remain with their father, family and friends at such a tragic time both here and in other parts of the world. I’d also like to thank everyone from the local community who pulled together in such desperate times to help us investigate what happened and to provide as much support as possible for those affected."

A spokesperson for Staffordshire Police added: "The difference between a trial-of-facts and a criminal trial is that a jury does not need to decide if the person is guilty or not guilty, nor do they consider the mental state of the person involved. Instead, they are only asked to decide if the person involved committed the acts they have been charged with.

"If the subject was deemed to be fit to plead in the future, a trial would then be called."

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2024-07-01 15:39:00Z
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Jay Slater: Investigation into disappearance continues, insists Tenerife mayor - Sky News

A mayor in Tenerife has insisted police are continuing to investigate several lines of inquiry and defended the decision to call off the search for missing British teenager Jay Slater.

"The investigation that the Civil Guard is carrying out in this case has several lines of inquiry open," local Mayor Emilio Navarro told Sky News.

"It's not that the search has stopped. Maybe, yes, in the territory, the field search, but other lines are open."

The Civil Guard announced on Sunday their search of the mountainous area in northern Tenerife where Jay was last seen had ended.

It was less than two weeks after the teenager had been reported missing.

Read more:
Five key questions over Jay Slater's disappearance

Image: Jay Slater. Pic: Lucy Law

The Rural de Teno national park had been the focus of the hunt for Jay after he'd travelled to a nearby village with two British men after a night out.

His phone was last located in the area the following morning, on Monday 17 June. He'd called a friend to say his mobile was about to run out of battery.

Mr Navarro, who is mayor of Santiago Del Teide, defended the police against accusations the search was halted too soon, telling Sky News "a magnificent job has been done by the Civil Guard".

"Until last week, many resources were allocated to the search," he added.

Image: The slopes of a steep valley, where part of the search was carried out

He also denied the search had been hampered by online conspiracy theories about the disappearance of the teen from Lancashire.

"I believe that in this case the Civil Guard is very professional and they do not deviate from the investigation and what they have is quite clear and verified," Mr Navarro insisted.

Jay's family, who have travelled out to Tenerife, intend to stay and are waiting to hear what authorities plan to do now the active search has ended.

The Civil Guard has provided scant information on their enquiries.

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Read more:
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However, they did confirm they do not consider the two British men whom Jay stayed with on the night before he went missing were relevant to the investigation.

British climber and social media personality Paul Arnott was once again searching the mountainous terrain on Monday.

He has vowed to continue and has called the final police search on Saturday - which included a call for volunteers to join professionals - a "PR stunt".

However, police have said although the active search phase has ended the investigation into the disappearance continues.

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2024-07-01 20:03:14Z
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