Debbie Duncan reveals truth over son Jay Slater's part in violent machete attack on Tom Hilton in Rishton
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In her first interview since laying her ‘forever 19’ son to rest, Debbie Duncan has spoken candidly about her son’s conviction for violent disorder.
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Hide AdSpeaking to The Sun, Debbie Jay was ‘guilty by association’ over the attack that left him with a conviction.
Trolls posted many online stories about Jay’s involvement in the assault on the 17-year-old in 2021.
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Hide AdVictim Tom Hilton was left with a head wound after he was attacked by a group of youngsters with weapons, including a machete, golf club and axe in Rishton.
Tom spoke out after Jay went missing on June 17 – urging trolls to leave his family alone and allow them to focus on the search.
Debbie categorically said Jay did not harm Tom, but was convicted of violent disorder after witnessing the assault.
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Hide AdShe said: “They used to go up to woods and into this old paper mill, five minutes away.
“This one night there was an incident where there were probably a couple of hundred people there.
“A lad, who was older, got attacked by what he described as 20 kids.
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Hide Ad“They were appealing for witnesses, and I said to Jay, I think you should go and do a statement.
“So I took him myself to Blackburn, Greenbank Police Station.
“And he gave his version of events, which was that Tom was already on the ground when he saw it and he was at the back.
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Hide Ad“I didn't think anything of it, but the following April, a letter came through saying that Jay was being charged with violent disorder.
“Jay attended the trial and Tom stood up in court and said that he didn't remember much about it.
“But Jay was kind of found guilty by association, and I don’t think he struck a blow or harmed Tom."
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Hide AdThe apprentice bricklayer rom Oswaldtwistle travelled to Tenerife to attend the NRG Festival with friends Lucy Mae Law and Bradley Hargreaves.
He went missing on Monday, June 17 after leaving an Airbnb apartment he had attended with friends after the festival at around 8am.
He called Lucy, 18, at 8.50 am saying he had cut his leg, was lost and dehydrated - and had just 1% battery on his phone.
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Hide AdHis mobile last pinged in the Rural de Teno Park – after Jay walked the wrong way from the Airbnb in Masca, 25 miles north of his apartment in Los Cristianos.
A 29-day search ensued which drew worldwide attention. On July 15, Debbie got a call from police asking her, Jay's dad Warren and brother Zak to go to the station.
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Hide AdAnd when they got there they were told – via a translator – that police had found human remains.
Defending her son who has been unable to defend himself from critcism, Debbie added: "I would just say that loads of kids get into trouble when they’re younger.
“There's grown men - dads, granddads, who get done for violent disorder for a fight that breaks out, say, outside a football stadium most weekends.
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Hide Ad“But because Jay's in the limelight, they just want to say every bad thing that they can say about him.
“But they don't know Jay and are dragging up all things that they don't even know about.
"They don't know his background and his upbringing with a loving family.
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Hide Ad“He was a lovely boy and wasn’t a bad person. I had Snapchat so I could communicate with him.
“He had a French bulldog, Buster, and he would be sending me Snaps when he was out with the dog.”
More than 500 people attended Jay’s funeral at Accrington Cemetery to say their final goodbyes.