Vile trolls who falsely reported seeing Jay Slater “in Sainsbury’s” and “watching the Euros” have been slammed for delaying his body being found.
The internet was awash with rumours the 19-year-old from Lancashire had been spotted in various locations, including on the Eurostar train, with some even claiming he’d left Tenerife on a yacht.
But now the boss of the missing persons charity supporting Jay’s family has hit out at the internet sickos after time was wasted investigating the fake leads.
READ MORE: How Jay Slater case gripped the nation – five reasons missing teen had everyone talking
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The apprentice bricklayer’s body was eventually found at an “inaccessible ravine” not far from where his phone last pinged in a remote area of Masca, 29 days after he disappeared.
(Image: Anadolu via Getty Images)
Matthew Searle, CEO of LBT Global said he was bombarded with reams of nasty emails, messages and phone calls after Jay vanished on June 17.
Jay’s family was even sent hoax ransom demands from “kidnappers” claiming to be holding Jay hostage. Cops are now said to be investigating the messages received by the charity boss and Jay’s mum, Debbie Duncan.
Searle told The Sunday Times: “We knew for a fact a lot of these were baseless but you have to follow up every single lead.
“So I’ve investigated sightings of Jay Slater in a Sainsbury’s in Basingstoke, watching a Euros match in a pub in Droitwich and another of him on the Eurostar.”
He added: “It’s been very, very difficult.
(Image: Getty Images)
“We’re going to get a case where the police will be dealing with the malicious side of it, and they miss an opportunity to actually rescue someone and someone’s life will be lost.”
Sending a false communication that causes “annoyance, inconvenience or anxiety to another” is a crime under the Communications Act of 2003.
Those found guilty of the offence may face up to six months in prison.
Searle told Sky News earlier this week: “Ultimately it hinders the search and it’s terrifyingly horrible for a family that are going through this.
(Image: Getty Images)
“Wherever there’s a real-life crime drama acting out in front of our eyes on television, half the population need to jump on Facebook, set up a Facebook group… to tell the world ‘what really happened’.
“It’s really worrying to the point where our charity thinks it’s time that it has to stop.”
Meanwhile, Jay family are hoping to repatriate his bodyto the UK over the next 24 hours as they prepare to “make the hardest journey of their lives”, sources told The Sun.
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