How could any father accept money from a 
friend of his daughter’s suspected killer? I thought at first that Tim Blackman was brilliant in travelling to Japan to highlight Lucie’s disappearance, visiting bars with her photo.
His relentless pursuit helped lead to the arrest and 6 1/2 year trial of millionaire playboy Joji Obara, who has just been cleared of Lucie Blackman’s murder due to lack of evidence. Gross police inefficiency and long delays meant that no forensic evidence could be pinned on Obara, who has been jailed for life for raping nine other women, including an Australian who also died. And why would he offer the money if he was innocent?
He could be released after only six years or so as the 1,600 days served during the trial will be deducted from the sentence, and lifers are eligible for parole after 10 years.
Lucie had been drugged, raped then dismembered, her long blonde hair cut off and her head encased in concrete. Her remains were found in a cave.
What I can’t understand is how Tim Blackman could have accepted £450,000 (100 million yen) blood money, or “condolence” money, as he calls it. The chances are that it came directly from Obara and he used his friend as a go-between. By accepting the money, it meant that Obara stood less chance of being hanged or receiving a full life sentence had he been convicted, it meant that justice would not be served.
Only Tim Blackman knows why he compromised himself in accepting this money. His former wife Jane, who refused an offer of the same money herself — despite what she describes as a “campaign” by the defence team to get her to accept it — accused him of behaving worse than Judas:
“As far as I am concerned, Tim accepted 100 million pieces of silver. Judas was content with just 30. It’s bad enough losing your daughter in the terrible circumstances that Lucie died. But to then find out that her father seems to have colluded with the defence team has been emotionally crippling.”
One of my first blogging heroes was - and still is - Neville Hobson and I am really looking forward to meeting him this evening for the first time when he speaks at this PR Unspun event in London.
