JAY Slater's machete attack victim has defended the search for the missing teen and urged sleuths to stop tormenting his family.
Tom Hilton was left with his skull split open when an eight-strong gang - including Jay - ambushed him with a machete, golf clubs and an axe.
Tom, then 17, was left fighting for his life after the assault in Rishton, Lancashire, in 2021.
But despite his ordeal, brave Tom has slammed online trolls and told them to instead "help find" 19-year-old Jay, who vanished in Tenerife more than a week ago.
He wrote on Facebook: "Whoever's writing on these TikToks give it a rest. This young lad's missing and his family's heartbroken.
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"Put yourself in their shoes. Stop talking nonsense on social and get this lad found, mentioning my name all this and that.
"And have some respect and help find this boy and get him back to his family."
During the trial at Preston Crown Court last year, Tom described the gang as "like a pack of gorillas".
Tom told the court how he was chased down and beaten by the group.
He was left with his skull exposed and wounds to his shoulders and legs.
Throughout the trial, the eight gang members laughed and joked, Manchester Evening News reported.
Judge Philip Parry said: "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."
Jay was handed an 18-month community order with 25 days of rehabilitation activities and 150 hours of unpaid work.
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After completing most of his sentence, Jay ventured off on his first holiday abroad with pals for the three-day NRG festival in Tenerife.
It comes as..
- Vile trolls share fake death posts on social media
- Cops hunting for Jay rescue a lost Brit hiker in the area the teen vanished
- Jay's mum slams trolls questioning what £33k GoFundMe will be used for
- Teen's family share CCTV image they believe could be Jay
- Footage obtained by The Sun shows Jay appearing to stagger back to his feet at a club
- The owner of an Airbnb where Jay stayed saw him "walking fast" up a dangerous ravine
- Brit cops offered to fly out and help but Spanish officials said no
- Jay’s mum slammed the Tenerife police investigation
- A possible new sighting of Jay with two men placed him 3.5 miles away from where he vanished
- The missing teen's dad and brother visited the search site
- Cops turn their search to several brick outbuildings near Jay's last known location
But after going to a rave on June 16, he headed to Masca, on the north of the island, with two British men he had met that evening.
Apprentice bricklayer Jay stayed at their rented Airbnb for a couple of hours before trying to make his way back to his holiday accommodation.
He made a final frantic call to friend Lucy Law last Monday morning.
Jay told his pal he was lost in the "middle of nowhere" with no water and had just one per cent battery on his phone.
It sparked a mammoth search involving sniffer dogs, drones and helicopters, as well as dozens of emergency crews.
Much of the hunt has been focussed on the unforgiving 2,000ft "badlands" Masca ravine.
It is where his phone last pinged a nearby cell tower at 8.50am on June 17.
As the search goes on for its ninth day, Jay's distraught family are grappling with fake death posts being shared on social media by vile trolls.
Jay's family have had to endure an onslaught of vile messages and bogus theories from trolls online after the teen disappeared.
His heartbroken mum said she felt "very let down" after sleuths started questioning what more than £30,000 raised on a GoFundMe page would be used for.
Debbie Duncan said: "I am really am saddened by all your comments. You seem to be so bothered about this GoFundMe page.
"I really hope I am not taking my son home in a body bag.
"I really cannot believe the British public are not supporting me in trying to find Jay.
"This may happen to any of you one day. Very let down by you all."
