Jay Slater’s Instagram account ‘mysteriously active’ amid ongoing search for missing teenager in Tenerife

25 June 2024, 17:57 | Updated: 25 June 2024, 18:00

The Instagram account of Jay Slater has been mysteriously accessed and active since his disappearance last week, according to reports.

The British teenager’s Instagram account has been accessed since he vanished, however his friends have said they’re confident that neither Jay nor his mum are behind it.

A friend shared the message: “Jay's mums asked I post this...

“For everyone asking who has logged into his instagram account, it's not him or her, somebody else has logged into it.”

The friend who shared the message disabled comments on the update.

It comes as the hunt for the missing teenager enters its second week, with Spanish police set to bring in specially trained dogs to search large areas as the search continues.

The teen travelled to Tenerife for a weekend music festival with two friends when he disappeared late on the night of June 16.

Internet sleuths have continued to post theories on social media about Jay’s disappearance.

Some of the comments posted online led to the teenager’s employer making a statement, as they said the ‘picture being painted’ of Jay is ‘just not true’.

The 19-year-old from Oswaldtwistle is employed by the group as an apprentice bricklayer, with Slater's boss taking to social media to comment publicly for the first time.

PH Build Group said it had to delete a Facebook post about the teenager as members of the public had replied with "negative comments and conspiracy theories".

As part of the Facebook post, PH Build Group wrote: "Our Jay is still missing! We removed our last post due to all the negative comments and conspiracy theories.

“Jay has been with us since he left school and is liked by all. He's a valued member of our team and we stand by him.

"The picture being painted of him is just not true.

"The fact is he's a 19-year-old lad missing in a foreign country. He needs to be back home where he belongs.

"Come on Jay, we are all praying for you."

Extensive searches have been underway since his disappearance, but now detectives on the holiday island are evaluating the teenager’s background.

Following his disappearance, it emerged that Jay was part group of eight people who attacked a 17-year-old with a machete, golf clubs and an axe in Rishton, Lancashire, in 2021.

The victim, Tom Hilton, had his skull "split open" during the attack and has since spoken out urging the hunt for the teenager to continue in Tenerife, telling online sleuths to "give it a rest".

Jay was handed an 18-month community order with 25 days of rehabilitation activities and 150 hours of unpaid work following the attack.

Mr Hilton addressed comments made by those online following Jay’s disappearance, as he said: "This young lad's missing and his family's heartbroken. Put yourself in their shoes.

"Stop talking nonsense on social and get this lad found, mentioning my name all this and that.

"Have some respect and help find this boy and get him back to his family."

It comes after another Brit was discovered during the search for Jay on Tuesday.

David Larkin, 51, was found by Spanish police as they continued their search for missing Jay Slater in Tenerife.

Officers said they rescued a "tired and disorientated" man who they discovered in mountainous terrain.

But Mr Larkin, who considers himself an "experienced" hiker, has said he did not need help.

"I can tell you now; I wasn’t tired and I wasn’t disoriented, and I didn’t need rescuing," he told the Mail.

"I think there was a lot lost in translation when they saw him and I explained to them I had water, I was wearing layers, I had my rucksack with food and I’m an experienced hiker.

"I think they want to show how good they are, but I certainly didn’t need saving.

"I feel so sorry for the boy’s family and hope he’s found soon."