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A DISTURBING video circulating online has been falsely claimed to show missing teen Jay Slater being beaten to death.
Former detective Mark Williams-Thomas has hit out against speculation over the sick clip which dates back almost a decade.
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Ian Whittaker
ReutersThe Sun has seen the horrific video, which is too shocking to publish, and quickly established that it has nothing to do with the missing Lancashire teen.
It was first shared on Russian social media sites nine years ago, when Jay was just 10 years old.
Former detective Mark – who worked on the Madeleine McCann case – rubbished the clip on X, writing: “The video was first posted on a social media site 9 years ago & therefore cannot be Jay Slater.”
He said “lots of people” had been contacting him about the “distressing” clip.
There are concerns that the video may have been seen by Jay’s worried loved ones who are already fighting a torrent of online troll abuse.
Mark, who is in Tenerife looking for Jay, said the teenager’s loved ones have been faced with a deluge of cruel threats including fake ransom demands.
He said: “So much fake content has been created in the Jay Slater case – mocked up chat, messages, pics.
“It’s a very different world we live in today with social media and online detectives.
“Overwhelming response from people has been very positive people just wanting to help, even though most have no direct info, just what they have read, seen or think.
“Also a number of people making vile threats and ransom demands, all checked out and have no credibility.”
Apprentice bricklayer Jay, from Oswaldtwistle, Lancashire, was last heard from on the morning of June 17.
He phoned his friend Lucy to tell her he was “lost in the middle of nowhere” after going back to a remote Airbnb with two British men the night before.
After missing the bus, he started walking the 11-hour route back to his accommodation and disappeared in the rural mountains.
A mammoth hunt with police, mountain rescue, firefighters, volunteers, drones, sniffer dogs and a helicopter was quickly launched.
To the devastation of Jay’s parents Debbie and Warren, the active search was called off last Sunday.
Police have promised to remain on top of any fresh developments.
Mark, who flew out to Tenerife this past week, has revealed a description of the two mystery men Jay went to an Airbnb with the night before he vanished.
He claims that Jay left the holiday let feeling “scared” after admitting to stealing a £12,000 Rolex.
Jay’s family have themselves slammed cruel conspiracy theorists and said they felt the “trolls have won” after the search was halted.
Attempts to find the Brit teen in the last 18 days have been overshadowed by vile internet trolls.
A family source from the UK told The Sun: “Jay’s family can’t help thinking the trolls have won and that they have got the way.
“So many people have been putting horrible messages out there which has only added to the family’s torment.”
Thousands of keyboard bashers have joined twisted Facebook groups, including one called Jay Slater Discussions and Theories.
Within the publicly visible groups are dozens of cruel, senseless posts spewing completely unfounded claims and vile comments.
Most are posted anonymously or by trolls using spurious names.
Warped memes about Jay’s disappearance have also been shared within the groups.
Far-fetched theories suggest Jay could have been kidnapped after crossing “Moroccan drugs gangs” or that the mafia is behind his disappearance.
Vicious trolls have compared Jay’s mum Debbie Duncan to Karen Matthews – a woman dubbed “Britain’s worst mum”.
Mark Williams-Thomas pictured in Tenerife outside the Airbnb Jay went to before he vanished
Reuters
Doug Seeburg
English (US)