Obviously we would never wish harm on anyone, but there seem to be some people taking a degree of satisfaction in the news story about 19-year-old Jay Slater missing in Tenerife, after Googling him and discovering his violent past (and the lack of punishment he received over it).

If you Google ‘Jay Slater’, you’ll find he was one of eight teenagers who brutally attacked another teen with machetes, axes and golf clubs in Hermitage Street, Rishton, in August 2021.

Victim Tom Hilton, who was 17 at the time of the attack, suffered a head injury so serious his skull was exposed, and also had wounds to his shoulders and legs. Apparently he had turned up at the location to meet a girl, but was instead chased by a group of boys he later described as “like a pack of gorillas.”

He ran through the woods and onto the road, but eventually Jay Slater and his buddies caught up to him, put him on the ground, and beat the sh1t out of him with their weapons.

The maddest part about it? All eight assailants got let off with Community Orders, even though they ‘laughed and joked’ in court in a way the judged described as ‘disrespectful’. Unbelievable!

Get a load of the rest of some these sh1theads – proper scary or what?

As Judge Philip Parry sentenced Jay Slater and his mates at Preston Crown Court, he told them:

“I have to have at the forefront of my mind the fact that most of you were children when you committed these offences.

“I make it very, very clear that all eight of you have behaved disgracefully, in relation to the violent disorder but also intimidation of witnesses, supply of class A drugs and street robbery. You should all eight be thoroughly ashamed of yourselves but I am not at all convinced you are.

“Many of you have found these proceedings amusing throughout the trial and yesterday and today, showing disrespect to the court. I hope for the sake of all your families, the public and the people who have offered you jobs and apprenticeships and the sort that you all grow up. Every one of you deserves to be sent to youth detention.

“Some of you played a more active role in the violent disorder than others, some of you carried weapons, some wore balaclavas but the seriousness of this is the group nature of it. As a group you were all more threatening than you would have been as individuals.”

For whatever reason, the judge took a rehabilitative approach when sentencing them for violent disorder and further offences including witness intimidation, attempted robbery and conspiracy to supply class A drugs:

“Today is going to be a life changing or life defining event for you all. You all have a chance to go into a lawful and law abiding direction. I can almost feel the sense of relief from your families and supporters in the public gallery who all expected you to go to custody today. As I said earlier, you all richly deserve to.”

The sentences are as follows:

• Danny Yakub, 18, of Blackburn Road, Great Harwood – 18 month community order with 25 days rehabilitation activities and 180 hours of unpaid work.
• Connor Armstrong, 19, of Christ Church Street, Accrington – two year community order with 35 days rehabilitation activities and 200 hours of unpaid work.
• James Meagre, 18, of Tinker Brook Close, Oswaldtwistle – two year community order with 25 days rehabilitation activities and 200 hours unpaid work.
• Davis Hargreaves, 18, of Plantation Road, Accrington – two year community order with 35 days rehabilitation activity requirements and 200 hours unpaid work.
• Kane Taylor, 20, of Ripon Road, Accrington, was given an 18 month community order with 25 days rehabilitation activities and 150 hours unpaid work
• Jay Slater, 18, of Fountains Way, Accrington – 18 month community order with 25 days rehabilitation activities and 150 hours unpaid work.
• A 16-year-old who cannot be named for legal reasons – 18 month youth referral order with 18 months supervision, 91 activity days a four month curfew and an intervention plan.
• A 17-year-old, who cannot be named for legal reasons – 18 month youth referral order with 18 months supervision, 91 activity days a three month curfew and an intervention plan.

Who knows, if Jay Slater had actually been sent to prison for his role in this, he may not have been in Tenerife this summer and wouldn’t have gone missing during an 11-hour treck from a festival to his accommodation. Obviously it’s not nice to think of his mum and the rest of his family and friends in bits over his whereabouts, so we hope he’s found safe and sound ASAP.

From the looks of it, a large section of the internet doesn’t share that sentiment and think this is some kind of latent karma for the lad, but let’s not forget this happened three years ago and so maybe he’s realised the error of his ways since then. Anyway, we’ll keep you posted as the search for Jay Slater continues…

To watch all hell break loose between two lads on a flight from Edinburgh to Tenerife, click HERE.