December 26th 2024.
The story of Josh Clayton has been brought to light once again in a new documentary titled "The Last Party: Death on Tresco". For most people, Tresco is a dream destination. This car-free island, located 28 miles off the coast of Cornwall in the Isles of Scilly, boasts crystal clear waters and stunning beaches that are nothing short of paradise. It is a place that is owned and managed by the Dorrien-Smith family on behalf of the Duchy of Cornwall. This small island, only two miles long and one mile wide, has become a haven for the rich and famous, even attracting the likes of Prince William and Kate Middleton. As Tatler magazine has famously declared, "Tresco is one of those places you want to keep a secret."
However, for Tracey Clayton, Tresco is not a dream - it is a nightmare. It is the place where her 23-year-old son, Josh, disappeared in 2015 and was later found dead. In a heartfelt interview with Metro over Zoom, Tracey, who resides in Somerset with her loyal Weimaraner by her side, shares how Josh used to send her videos of the island and its inhabitants, including the rich and famous, as well as rare bird sightings. Josh had a deep love for Tresco and often referred to it as his personal paradise.
Josh, who hailed from Taunton in Somerset, was working at the Ruin Beach Café, a popular eatery on the island where guests can enjoy their meals while taking in the breathtaking views of the white sandy beaches. It was his second season on the island and he was highly respected by his colleagues for his hard work. However, on a rainy Sunday in September 2015, Josh attended a private party hosted by Tristan Dorrien-Smith, the son of the island's wealthy landlord, Robert. Josh was at the party for several hours before leaving around 1:30 am, in order to prepare for his 7 am shift at the café. It was a dark and rainy night, with a new moon, making it difficult to navigate the tree-lined paths that led from the party venue to the staff accommodation.
The next morning, when Josh did not show up for work, his friends frantically searched for him. They discovered his bike, with the saddle twisted in the wrong direction and covered in mud, in a nearby hedge. His personal belongings, including his phone, were found scattered on the forest floor. Despite extensive efforts to locate him, Josh's body was found ten days later on an uninhabited island close to Tresco. This devastating discovery left Tracey crushed and struggling to get out of bed some mornings. But she also found strength in her determination to find out the truth about her son's death.
An investigation was launched, and party-goers were interviewed about Josh's behavior on the night of the party. They reported that he seemed fine and not overly intoxicated. However, toxicology tests revealed that he had been 2.5 times over the legal drink-drive limit at the time of his death. The inquest, held at Plymouth Coroner's Court, concluded that Josh's death was an accident, possibly caused by a head injury. The jurors believed that Josh made his way to the beach and may have drowned or been unable to exit the water due to his level of intoxication.
But Tracey was not satisfied with this conclusion. She had hoped for an open verdict that would allow for further investigations. The Clayton family has spent over £67,000 on legal fees and hiring a private investigator to uncover more information about Josh's death. They point to flaws in the police investigation, such as the destruction of a bloody t-shirt that Josh was wearing and a witness who gave five different accounts of the same story.
Tracey refuses to accept that her son's death was an accident. She recalls how the police initially painted Josh as a "drugged up drunk", despite her knowledge of his character and habits. Josh was a responsible and hard-working individual, who was aware of the strict rules on the island, such as the deduction of a whole morning's pay for being just half an hour late to a shift. He would never have risked being late for work. She also shares that Josh had plans to move to Japan with his boyfriend after his season on Tresco was over, proving that he had no intention of harming himself.
The documentary, "The Last Party: Death on Tresco", delves into the events leading up to Josh's disappearance and explores the unanswered questions surrounding his death. It is a story of a devoted mother's fight for justice and her refusal to let her son's death be written off as a mere accident. Josh may be gone, but his memory will continue to live on through his mother's tireless efforts to uncover the truth.
Josh Clayton's story has been brought back into the spotlight through a new documentary titled The Last Party: Death on Tresco. For most people, Tresco is like a dream come true. It is a small, car-free island situated 28 miles off the coast of Cornwall in the Isles of Scilly. With its crystal clear waters and beautiful beaches, it's no wonder why it is a popular holiday destination.
The entire island is owned and managed by the Dorrien-Smith family on behalf of the Duchy of Cornwall. Measuring only two miles long and one mile wide, Tresco has become synonymous with the wealthy and famous. It's a favorite spot for Prince William and Kate Middleton, and even Tatler magazine has declared it as a place to keep secret.
But for Tracey Clayton, Tresco is far from a dream. It's a place that holds nothing but painful memories. It's where her 23-year-old son, Josh, disappeared in 2015 and was later found dead. "Josh absolutely loved Tresco, he called it paradise," Tracey shares as she sits down for a Zoom interview from her home in Somerset, her beloved Weimaraner dog by her side. "He would send me videos and tell me all about the rich and famous enjoying themselves, or point out rare birds."
Josh, who hails from Taunton in Somerset, was working at the Ruin Beach Café, a popular eatery where guests can enjoy their meals while taking in the beautiful view of the white sands. It was his second season on the island and he was highly respected by his colleagues.
On a rainy Sunday in September 2015, Josh attended a private party hosted by Tristan Dorrien-Smith, the son of the wealthy landlord Robert. He spent several hours at the party before leaving around 1:30 am to prepare for his 7 am shift at the café. It was a dark and rainy night, with no natural light from the new moon to guide him on the tree-lined paths leading from the party venue to the staff accommodation.
The next morning, Josh did not show up for work, which was highly unusual for the usually-diligent worker. His friends immediately launched a search and discovered his bike with its saddle twisted the wrong way and the pedal caked in mud, hidden in a hedge near the party venue. His personal belongings, including a phone charger and an unopened pack of cigarettes, were scattered on the forest floor. Josh's phone, an iPhone 6, was never found.
The police released a photo of Josh's bike after the inquest into his death was concluded. It was suggested that he may have gone into the sea of his own accord, possibly due to suicidal thoughts or an extreme reaction to drugs. But Tracey has never believed this theory. Just hours before he disappeared, Josh had called her and excitedly shared his plans to move to Japan with his boyfriend once his season at Tresco was over. And although he occasionally smoked cannabis, Tracey insists that he never did anything stronger to her knowledge.
"At the beginning, the police kept saying he was just a drugged-up drunk," Tracey recalls of the early investigation into her son's disappearance. "It was as if they were trying to undermine how much I knew and loved my son. But Josh knew the island like the back of his hand and had even implemented a buddy system to ensure everyone's safety. He was also very aware of the strict rules on the island, where being just half an hour late for work could result in the loss of a whole morning's pay. He would never want to be late for work."
After ten days of desperate searching, Josh's body was discovered washed up on Teän, an uninhabited island less than a mile from Tresco, by a French yachtsman. Devastated by the news, there were days when Tracey struggled to get out of bed. But on other days, she was determined to find out the truth about what happened to her son. "Like a lioness protecting her cubs," she says, "I demanded answers."
An investigation was launched, and party-goers were interviewed about Josh's behavior on the night he disappeared. They all agreed that he seemed capable and not overly drunk. However, toxicology tests revealed that he was 2.5 times over the legal drink-drive limit at the time of his death.
At the inquest, the jury ruled that Josh's death was an accident, possibly caused by a head injury. But Tracey was hoping for an open verdict, which could have led to further investigations. The Clayton family has spent over £67,000 on legal costs and hiring a private investigator in their quest for more information about Josh's death. They highlight the flaws in the police investigation, such as the destruction of a bloody t-shirt that Josh had been wearing without any examination, and the fact that one witness had given five different accounts of the same story, claiming to have seen Josh having an argument outside the party venue.
Tracey refuses to accept that her son's death was an accident. Josh had been looking forward to traveling to Japan after his season at Tresco, and she believes that someone or something is responsible for his death. As she continues to fight for justice for her son, she hopes that the truth will eventually come to light.
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