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| Version 1 | Version 2 |
|---|---|
| Man convicted of abducting Lucie | Man convicted of abducting Lucie |
| (20 minutes later) | |
| A Tokyo businessman has been convicted of abducting the British bar hostess Lucie Blackman. | A Tokyo businessman has been convicted of abducting the British bar hostess Lucie Blackman. |
| Last year, Joji Obara was acquitted of killing the 21-year-old of Sevenoaks, Kent, but the Tokyo High Court now says he did kidnap her in Tokyo in 2000. | Last year, Joji Obara was acquitted of killing the 21-year-old of Sevenoaks, Kent, but the Tokyo High Court now says he did kidnap her in Tokyo in 2000. |
| Her dismembered body was found seven months later concealed in a cave. | Her dismembered body was found seven months later concealed in a cave. |
| The 56-year-old businessman's sentence will remain unchanged as he was given a life sentence last year for raping nine other women, one of whom died. | The 56-year-old businessman's sentence will remain unchanged as he was given a life sentence last year for raping nine other women, one of whom died. |
| Last year, a Japanese court cleared Obara of raping and killing Ms Blackman, a former air hostess. | Last year, a Japanese court cleared Obara of raping and killing Ms Blackman, a former air hostess. |
| A judge said there was no proof Obara alone was responsible for her death. | A judge said there was no proof Obara alone was responsible for her death. |
| At the time, Lucie's mother, Jane Steare, said she was heartbroken and in disbelief at the verdict. | |
| On Tuesday, the High Court dismissed that ruling and said that although there was not sufficient evidence to convict Obara of murder, he had mutilated Ms Blackman's body. It still leaves a bitter taste in the mouth Tim Blackman, father of Lucie | |
| "The court recognises that the defendant is responsible for damaging and abandoning the body," Judge Hiroshi Kadono said. | "The court recognises that the defendant is responsible for damaging and abandoning the body," Judge Hiroshi Kadono said. |
| 'Condolence payment' | |
| Ms Blackman's father Tim, who lives on the Isle of Wight, said he was delighted with the verdict. | |
| "Although the result is not the absolute decision we had hoped for it is still an obvious recognition of guilt," he said. | |
| "After such a long time it is clear that it was necessary for this protracted process [to happen] to get any degree of result and some form of justice for Lucie, but it still leaves a bitter taste in the mouth." | |
| In 2006, Mr Blackman accepted a "condolence payment" of 100 million yen (£450,000) from a friend of Obara. | |
| "People assume that it gets easier as each year goes by, but actually it gets worse each Christmas," he said. | |
| "Every year brings it home that Lucie is not with us to share this happy time." |