Jay Slater's friend pleads 'stop torturing his mum' after devastating messages
Jay Slater's mum has received a number of anonymous messages from vile trolls
PA
One of Jay Slater's friends has issued a plea for respect to be shown to the family as the search continues for the missing 19-year-old.
Rachel Hargreaves used a Facebook group being used by family and friends to provide updates on the search for the teenager to hit out at "trolls and sickos" spreading misinformation and conspiracy theories.
Slater, from the Lancashire town of Oswaldtwistle, disappeared following an attempt to walk back to his accommodation after missing a bus and was last heard from on Monday morning.
He had attended the NRG music festival on the island with two friends before his disappearance.
Jay Slater's mum has received a number of anonymous messages from vile trollsPASince then a frenzy of wild claims have been made on social media, vile messages have been sent to his mum and friends have even claimed that Slater's Instagram account had been hacked.
Hitting out at the reaction, Hargreaves wrote on Facebook: "All the groups are full of trolls and sickos."
"I can’t believe some people are actually this sick in the head there are people hacking my accounts and jays family’s making it pure lies and pretending we are all in it," she said.
"Jay's missing and it’s absolutely soul destroying."
Jay Slater's mum issued a direct appeal to her son urging him to 'come home'
Last known location of Jay SlaterPAShe continued: "Please stop now it’s torturing his mum."
Last night Slater's mum, Debbie Duncan, issued a direct plea to her son saying: “We just need you home.”
Asked how the family was coping with the situation, Duncan said: “We’re not. I’m not coping very well at all.
“I’ve not slept, I’m exhausted. It’s been awful.”
“I can’t give up on him, I just can’t.”
The NRG festival issued a statement in which it said it was able to “give some practical support” to Slater’s family.
The statement read: “That such a devastating situation has arisen has deeply affected us all.
“We have been able to give some practical support to the members of Jay’s family who have come to Tenerife in such difficult circumstances, and we are inspired by their resilience and determination.”
A GoFundMe page for Slater’s family has raised more than £27,500, and will go towards family and friends staying in Tenerife while the hunt continues.
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