INTERVIEW
“Sophie had said for months and
months that she was not ready to
bury Lucie yet.
“She wanted some of Lucie’s ashes
in her possession so that when she
went to live in Australia or buy a
home wherever it might be she
would be able to take something of
Lucie with her.
“This culminated in Jane writing to
Sophie and saying I’m the executor
of Lucie’s will and I have decided
that Lucie will be buried in her
entirety.
“I emailed Jane and said look
Sophie feels really strongly about
this but Jane turned on a legal point
and insisted that Lucie must be
buried in her entirety.
“As parents I believe you should be
concerned for your child’s strength
of feeling and their mental welfare.
“The day we buried Lucie we went
to this pretty little churchyard, the
five of us, and she was buried under
a thorn tree.
“It was surreal and deeply, deeply
upsetting. Afterwards I came back
to the Isle of Wight, Jane was going
home with Rupert and Sophie went
back to where she lived with a
friend in Sevenoaks.
“I got home at 10.30pm and at
12.30am I get a call from Sophie’s
friend saying she’s attempted
suicide.”
Sophie was sectioned for a
few days and then spent several
months in a psychiatric unit before
spending some time on the Island to
recuperate.
Sophie is now fit and well and
working as a cardiac technician at St
Mary’s Hospital, Paddington.
Both she and her father are looking
forward to being able to draw a line
under what has happened to them
and look to the future.
A significant amount of the money
given by Obara’s friend has gone
to the Lucie Blackman Trust – an
organisation that promotes safety
amongst young people both at home
and abroad.
Another chunk has been put in
trust for his children.
“They might not want it now but it
will be there for them in the future.
I have made that decision for them,”
says Tim.
He adds: “Lucie has become this
iconic image for safety.
“We are working with various
partnerships and the police around
- life
Photo: Tim and Sophie in Japan.
the country.
“Our website has had almost a
million hits with girls and parents
from all over the world reading
about safety awareness.
“We came up with the idea of
delayed texting and on the site
you can click on any country in the
world and find out what the security
Island Life - www.isleofwight.net
situation is.
“Sophie is really excited about
being an ambassador for the trust
and for me it keeps Lucie alive.
“Lucie has a purpose. Lucie would
like it. I believe she would think this
was good.
“This is a seminal moment. The
Trust takes us forward and without
it I think the 24th would be a bit
hollow.
“The end of this trial is in sight and
we can at last see the time when we
can close the last box file and just
carry on.”
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