Benedict Tetzlaff-Deas News Reporter and Patrick Hill Senior News Reporter

A major stumbling block in the Jay Slater case could prevent his family from ever finding out what happened to him, it is feared.

A vital inquest into the 19-year-old’s death in Tenerife was adjourned last week at the request of his mum Debbie, who said it must not go ahead until multiple key witnesses are tracked down to give evidence. It included her son’s friend Lucy Law, who is reported to currently be holidaying on the island, as well as Brandon Hodges and Bradley Hargreaves. Ayub Qassim and Steven Roccas, who rented an Airbnb that Jay visited just hours before his death and were not present at the inquest.

The 19-year-old died while on holiday in Tenerife(Image: Family Handout/LBT Global/PA)

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In what could prove a major obstacle in the Slater family’s search for answers, police have now admitted they have no power to force any witnesses to attend the inquest.

Lancashire Police said: “We supported the coroner by making extensive efforts to contact a number of witnesses, both in Lancashire and more widely… However we understand some of these individuals may be abroad and had already left the country when these efforts were made.”

It is thought all five of them could hold vital information that might help piece together what happened to Jay before in the hours before he died.

verts from us and third parties based on our knowledge of you.

Lucy Law’s family said she is on holiday and did not know the inquest was happening(Image: Instagram)

The British teenager was reported missing after visiting a music festival on June 17 last year. His body was found in a ravine in Tenerife, a whole 29 days after he was reported missing.

It is currently believed he missed a bus and decided to walk home from the Airbnb, a journey that would take approximately 11 hours. Jay’s friend Lucy Law was on holiday with him in Tenerife when he disappeared.

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She is currently believed to be back in Tenerife on holiday, and her stepdad Andy Davis said she did not know the inquest was happening.

Jay, pictured with Brad Hargreaves, who was with him in Tenerife(Image: bradg14233/Instagram)

Brad Hargreaves was with the pair at the music festival, and is also thought to be on holiday at present. Another of Jay’s friends, Brandon, was seen with him at a pool party. While he did not show up to the inquest, he has previously cooperated with the police.

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The inquest has also not heard from Ayub Qassim and Steven Roccas, who had rented the Airbnb in Masca village where Jay was last seen alive before setting off.

Ayub Qassim and another man rented an Airbnb Jay visited hours before he disappeared(Image: western mail)

Last Wednesday, Home Office pathologist, Dr Richard Shepherd told Preston Crown Court that Jay’s body was already decomposing when he examined it. He said the teenager’s cause of death was a head injury.

Dr Shepherd told the inquest that even if Jay had been admitted to a specialist neurosurgical unit on the night, it was highly unlikely he could have survived.He explained: “The injury is so severe that death was either instantaneous or extremely quick.”Spanish authorities have previously concluded that the cause of Jay’s death was a severe traumatic brain injury.