life - INTERVIEW
Photo: Tim is now back at work trying to rebuild his life.
“That’s how she would have
thought and Sophie agreed.
“Sophie’s only concern about this
was the flak I might get.
“And as far as Rupert is concerned
I decided some little while ago that
an 18-year-old young man does
not understand what a 53-year-old
parent and guardian of seven young
people has to do.
“Whilst a young person’s opinion
is important it doesn’t always come
from a very experienced place.”
If, on April 24th, the Japanese
court finds Obara not guilty of the
charge of rape leading to death, Tim
is prepared for the fall-out.
It is not hard to imagine headlines
declaring ‘Blackman Takes Money.
Man Goes Free’.
Tim agrees: “Yes it wouldn’t be
very comfortable but it still doesn’t
make any difference to the way I
feel inside.
“This man is already the worst
serial sex attacker in recent Japanese
history.
“When he was arrested and his
various houses we re searched they
found in the region of 2,000 videos
of him raping girls.
24
“He was filmed sometimes wearing
a mask, sometimes not.
“He would spike their drinks with
rohypnol and if they started to come
round he would chloroform them.
“Now if they are stupid enough
to put him back on the streets then
why have I got to be blamed for it?”
Obara had previously offered
a similar sum to the Blackmans,
which they turned down.
It is common practise in Japan for
defendants to offer payments to
victim’s families as an expression of
their remorse.
These payments, however, are not
seen as an admission of guilt.
Tim adds: “They offered the
money first of all on the condition
that I would not speak in court,
which I refused.
“It was the friend of Obara who
said that whatever happens, this
was a tragic thing that happened
to Lucie and our family and that he
was still offering the money.”
After seven years of immersion
in the Japanese legal system Tim
has an insight into the cultural
background to these payments.
“The Japanese are very honourable
people. There is a very, very low mother couldn’t come to Tokyo and
crime rate there because of the wouldn’t form a united front at least
shame of being a criminal. Bringing to do those big press conferences.
dishonour on your family is
“There has been no recognition
unthinkable.
that without our efforts in those
“In Tokyo you will see rows and early weeks in Japan there would
rows of bicycles parked in the street not have been an investigation and
all unlocked. No one would ever we would still be wondering where
think of taking them.
Lucie was.
“They leave drinks machines out
“Jane seems to have this thing
on the pavement. Now if that was where she is the only victim.
Englandsomeonewouldcomealong
“When we brought Lucie’s remains
with a flat bed truck and have them home we couldn’t decide what to do
away.”
with the ashes for sometime.
Both
Tim
and Sophie are
disappointed in
the way ex-wife
and mother Jane
has
continued
to batter them
through the pages
of the Daily Mail.
Tim
adds:
“Sophie has been
so appalled by
her
mother’s
behaviour over the
last few years.
“She
was
annoyed
her Photo: Lucie and Sophie
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