During the inquest several witnesses were asked if they were aware that Jay had ‘run out of money’
09:09, 29 Jul 2025Updated 09:18, 29 Jul 2025
In one message Jay’s friend told him he was ‘off his barnet'(Image: Men Media)
The probe into the vanishing and death of Oswaldtwistle teen Jay Slater included a thorough analysis of his mobile device.
Following the repatriation of Jay’s body to Lancashire and into the coroner’s jurisdiction, an investigation into his death began which included an examination of Jay’s iPhone 14 by Lancashire Constabulary. This evidence was submitted in May when the inquest began, before proceedings were postponed to allow further efforts to trace missing witnesses.
Detective Chief Inspector Rachel Higson conducted a forensic assessment of Jay’s device and compiled a 16-page document detailing her discoveries.
DCI Higson’s document discloses that Jay’s iPhone 14 underwent examination on April 25. The report’s summary indicates that “there is evidence of usage since the phone was returned from the Spanish authorities, this interaction with the device has resulted in data being overwritten”.
The examination of Jay’s phone was restricted to data between June 16 and June 18 and included communication data, location data, health data and battery status. Incoming and outgoing communications during this period included Snapchat, Facebook Messenger, iMessage, WhatsApp and traditional calls/text messages.
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During the inquest into Jay’s death several witnesses were asked if they were aware that Jay had “run out of money”. Ayub Qassim, one of the men who had rented the Airbnb where Jay was last seen, said he “might have heard something” about Jay having “no dough” but wasn’t sure.
Jay’s phone revealed that there were two failed payments, at 9.10pm and 9.11pm on the night before he disappeared. The failed payments were for 320 and 160 Euros to INFISEN INVERSIONES.
The message from Brandon Hodgson to Jay Slater
At 9.26pm Brandon Hodgson sent a message to Jay in which he said: “Get that 2 ton out for me as well bro”.
Brandon sent a text to Jay later in which he urged him to come back and said Jay was “off his barnet”.
At 6.09am on Monday June 17 Jay sent an image showing his location to friend Bradley Geoghegan (main image). At 7.08am Jay uploaded a video to Snapchat showing the location around the Airbnb in Masca, reports Lancs Live.
Jay sent a map showing his location to friend Bradley Geoghegan(Image: HM Coroner)
Seconds later Jay uploaded another video to Snapchat. This seven-second video also shows the area close to the Airbnb. The location was confirmed using Global Positioning System data.
Jay’s phone revealed that, between 7.33am and 8.50am, there were several incoming and outgoing communications between Jay and his friends Lucy, Bradley and Brandon. The last activity on Jay’s phone was at 8.50:37.
The report also shows, using a spreadsheet, the decreasing battery life of Jay’s iPhone. At 8.27am it had three per cent, then two per cent at 8.33am and one per cent at 8.52am when it is believed that the mobile died.
A spreadsheet showing the decreasing battery life of Jay’s phone
In her conclusion, DCI Higson wrote: “There is frequent communication and activity through the phone throughout the 16th to 17th June until 8.51am following which there is no activity until the device is located and examined by Spanish authorities.
“Jay makes reference to being incapacitated (unspecified whether through drink or drugs). Attempts were made by Jay’s associates to locate him in order to return him home, he made it clear he wished to stay out and did not reply to multiple queries concerning his whereabouts.
“There is no evidence of any recorded health activity on Jay’s iPhone 14 after 8.49am on 17th June 2024. Battery life data corroborates accounts that Jay had stated his battery was running out of charge.
“The last recorded location data is consistent with the area of the island in which he was found. There is no evidence of any threat of harm towards Jay or indication that he was in fear for his safety.”
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