British trainee barrister, 26, goes missing in Majorca after flatmate 'threatens to have men sort him out'

18 July 2024, 12:30 | Updated: 18 July 2024, 13:16

A mother has launched a search for her missing son after he disappeared on the Spanish island of Majorca.

Ben Ross, 26, had been in the tourist hotspot of Palma on a break from his studies as a barrister last month when he had his belongings stolen on a trip to the beach.

His family has said he can no longer be contacted after going missing on July 10 following an altercation with his flatmate.

Ben's mother Felix Robinson has now spoken of her personal "torture" as she launches a search for her missing son on the Spanish holiday island.

A GoFundMe page has subsequently been launched for Felix as she plans to fly out to Palma City to find her son.

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The crowdfunder, launched by family friend Carla Speight said: "Earlier in June, Ben travelled to Palma City and secured a job with a local energy company. He was seemingly doing well until a series of unfortunate events led to him going missing."

She said her Ben was set to receive his European tax code a few days before his disappearance, according to his flatmates on the island.

He then went for a swim where his bag was stolen, along with his phone, passport, iPad, wallet, and keys.

"Ben went straight to the police to report what had happened and by the time he left the police station, it was late in the evening," Carla said.

"When trying to find where he was staying, he became lost and when he eventually found the apartment, his flatmates refused him entry due to not knowing who was knocking on the door so late."

Out of "desperation", Ben then broke into the apartment where he was met with "aggrieved flatmates" who threatened to evict him.

She said police were called about the incident on July 10 but said they would not intervene as Ben had offered to pay for damages.

"One of the flatmates is then alleged to have threatened Ben with two men who will ‘sort him out’ and ‘remove him’ before the weekend, information that has further increased Felix’s worries for the wellbeing of her son."

Felix and Ben then tried to secure emergency funds for him to find other accommodation, but were not able to work the correct instructions.

This reportedly worsened Ben’s mental state where he sent a "peculiar email" to his mother, admitting he was struggling and was not in a good place. He then cut off communications with her completely.

The 26-year-old's whereabouts are still unknown.

According to Carla, his flatmate's story has changed, leading to Felix's concerns over the credibility of the information about her son.

The crowdfunder said Felix has "no choice but to go out to Palma and appeal to the local residents and tourists in the area" for any information about sightings of her son.

Felix said: “Like any mother, no matter what age your children are, they are still your children. I just need to know my son is safe and well.

"The last few days have been torture. Please, if anyone has seen Ben, even if it’s just for a second, let the authorities know. We need to find him”.

The money raised will go towards Felix's hotel costs, flights and food as she searches for her son. Any money not used will go towards the Andy's Man Club charity in its support for men's mental health.

It comes after another missing Brit, Jay Slater's death was confirmed by a Spanish court, with multiple injuries consistent with a fall in a rocky area.

The Canary Islands High Court of Justice confirmed the identity of the body with the use of fingerprint technology after the remains were found near the village of Masca in Tenerife on Monday.

A spokesman for the court said the post-mortem examination report determined that the injuries he sustained were consistent with an accidental fall.