Jay Slater internet detectives ‘clearly had input’ into how mystery unfolded – ‘They’ve watched Vera and think they’re detectives!’

Online trolls who have spread conspiracy theories about Jay Slater and Nicola Bulley are now becoming a “facet of certain missing people” inquires, a former Met detective has argued.

Peter Bleksley slammed the trolls for their input of the two high profile investigations and dubbed them individuals who have “watched two episodes of Vera and regard themselves as fully qualified detectives”.

The body of Jay Slater was found on July 15 in an area of Tenerife where he vanished last month.

The 19-year-old disappeared on June 17 after he set off to walk back to his accommodation on the Spanish island.

Similarly to Nicola Bulley – a mother who went missing in St Michael’s on Wyre on January 27 last year – Slater’s disappearance captured the imaginations of internet trolls who shared conspiracy theories.

In clips posted online, sleuths travelled to Rural de Teno Park to look for Slater themselves.

Amateur detectives also flocked to Lancashire where Bulley was last seen walking her dog in January 2023.

Speaking exclusively to GB News, Bleksley said: “Armchair detectives, online sleuths – call them what you will, clearly had some kind of input into how this was conducted because the interest was absolutely vast.

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“A Facebook page set up by one of Jay’s friends attracted over 600,000 followers in just a few days.

“And of course, the British media were following this story very keenly, with lots of reporters and journalists sent out there.

“This kind of attention is becoming a facet of certain missing persons inquiries.

“We only have to go back to February last year and look at the tragic Nicola Bulley case, for example, which attracted similar levels of interest both from the public and the media, and those people who have watched two episodes of Viera and regard themselves as fully qualified detectives.”

It comes after Spanish police were forced to “search in secret” amid concerns online sleuths would interrupt the operation.

Bleksley added that the conspiracy theorists “can cause a lot of hurt and upset for families and those who loved him.”

Officials in Spain say Slater injuries suffered were compatible with a fall “in a rocky area”.

The human remains were discovered in an “inaccessible area” in Rural de Teno national park.

His possessions including his phone, clothes and personal documents were found alongside his body.