From Machetes to Mountain Rescues: The Bizarre Case of Jay Slater

I thought I’d pop in with an extra post today to share a quick update on the Jay Slater case. It’s one of those situations where truth is indeed proving to be stranger than fiction!

In the past 24 hours, there have been several developments, the most remarkable being the discovery of a Scottish man, lost in the Tenerife mountains, by the searchers looking for Jay. They’ve successfully rescued him, which is a silver lining. But it does make me wonder, how many people venture into the Tenerife mountains wearing only shorts and trainers and think it’s a sensible idea? It brings to mind that old UK government campaign about ‘how to behave on holiday,’ with the memorable tagline, ‘if you wouldn’t do it at home, don’t do it on holiday.’

Back to Jay. Since my last post, there’s been a whirlwind of activity. Firstly, the Spanish police have stated that they are now ‘investigating links to his background.’ This background has piqued significant interest in the UK because, a year or so ago, Jay and several other gang members were convicted for a machete attack. This has sparked a debate: should we be helping him? It’s a tough one. Obviously, attacking people with machetes is inexcusable, but once someone has served their sentence, shouldn’t there be a chance for redemption? Anyway, the victim of the attack has now urged everyone to stop focusing on the past and to concentrate on finding Jay. However, the Spanish police seem to think there’s something worth digging into. This suspicion is fuelled by those involved in the search, who can’t understand why he hasn’t been found if he’s where he’s supposed to be. Even retired UK police detectives are suggesting that this should have been treated as a murder investigation from the start.

Then we have the intriguing matter of family connections. Now, I have no idea how accurate this is, but it’s gaining traction online. Brace yourselves for this one…

Remember Karen Matthews? In the UK, she’s almost as infamous as Myra Hindley and Rose West. After Madeleine McCann’s disappearance, Karen concocted a scheme to hide her daughter, Shannon, and then pretend she had been kidnapped, hoping a family member would ‘find’ her and claim the reward money. The police quickly saw through this and she ended up in prison. She’s now released and living under a new identity.

Well, according to internet sleuths, Jay’s mum is Karen Matthews’ stepsister. And get this: Lucy Mae’s dad is reportedly dating Karen Matthews (under her new identity). Whether this is true or not, the resemblance between the two women is uncanny, and it could explain Lucy Mae’s sudden appearance on the scene. If these stories hold any water, it wouldn’t be the first time this family has tried to scam ransom money.

Now, the pièce de résistance: the GoFundMe page. It’s changed again this morning, now being promoted as a ‘reward for information’ instead of ‘help the family get over’ or ‘assist with the search.’ Many online are jumping to conclusions, but this does seem increasingly complex. Why is it so hard to clarify what the money is for? And are all those who donated to ‘help with the search’ happy that their contributions are now apparently a reward? If the speculated links are true, how can donors be sure who this ‘reward’ will end up with?

What do you think, readers? Is this getting stranger by the day, or is it just the brief spell of heat we’re having in the UK that’s getting to me?