This article is from the source 'bbc' and was first published or seen on . It will not be checked again for changes.
You can find the current article at its original source at http://news.bbc.co.uk/go/rss/-/1/hi/uk/6241831.stm
The article has changed 14 times. There is an RSS feed of changes available.
| Version 2 | Version 3 |
|---|---|
| Obara acquitted over Lucie death | Obara acquitted over Lucie death |
| (30 minutes later) | |
| A Japanese businessman has been acquitted of charges over the death of British bar hostess Lucie Blackman. | A Japanese businessman has been acquitted of charges over the death of British bar hostess Lucie Blackman. |
| But Joji Obara was sentenced to life imprisonment for a series of rapes, Kyodo news agency said. | But Joji Obara was sentenced to life imprisonment for a series of rapes, Kyodo news agency said. |
| It was not immediately clear if the rapes for which Obara was convicted included that of Ms Blackman. | It was not immediately clear if the rapes for which Obara was convicted included that of Ms Blackman. |
| Tokyo District Court acquitted Obara of charges involving Ms Blackman's death; he was also suspected of raping nine other women. | Tokyo District Court acquitted Obara of charges involving Ms Blackman's death; he was also suspected of raping nine other women. |
| Obara, 54, was arrested on charges of rape resulting in the death of Ms Blackman in 2001; he had been on trial at Tokyo District Court since 2003. | |
| Ex-flight attendant Ms Blackman, 21, of Sevenoaks, Kent, was working in a Tokyo bar when she vanished in July 2000. | Ex-flight attendant Ms Blackman, 21, of Sevenoaks, Kent, was working in a Tokyo bar when she vanished in July 2000. |
| Her dismembered body was found in a cave near Obara's home in the village of Miura seven months later. | Her dismembered body was found in a cave near Obara's home in the village of Miura seven months later. |
| TIMELINE 1 Jul 2000: Lucie Blackman vanishes in Tokyo21 Jul 2000: Tony Blair meets Lucie's parents and promises to raise their daughter's disappearance with the Japanese prime minister11 Oct 2000: Japanese police arrest and question Joji Obara, who is in custody in connection with several other rapes9 Feb 2001: Police find body parts in a cave at Miura, near Tokyo. They are later identified as Lucie's remains27 Nov 2003: Obara goes on trial in Tokyo24 April 2006: Obara acquitted | TIMELINE 1 Jul 2000: Lucie Blackman vanishes in Tokyo21 Jul 2000: Tony Blair meets Lucie's parents and promises to raise their daughter's disappearance with the Japanese prime minister11 Oct 2000: Japanese police arrest and question Joji Obara, who is in custody in connection with several other rapes9 Feb 2001: Police find body parts in a cave at Miura, near Tokyo. They are later identified as Lucie's remains27 Nov 2003: Obara goes on trial in Tokyo24 April 2006: Obara acquitted |
| Lucie's father Tim spent thousands of pounds travelling to Japan to try to get the local police to investigate Lucie's disappearance as a suspected crime. | Lucie's father Tim spent thousands of pounds travelling to Japan to try to get the local police to investigate Lucie's disappearance as a suspected crime. |
| Eventually, after he enlisted the support of the prime minister and his Japanese counterpart, the police arrested Obara, a property developer who had a seaside home at Miura, outside Tokyo. | Eventually, after he enlisted the support of the prime minister and his Japanese counterpart, the police arrested Obara, a property developer who had a seaside home at Miura, outside Tokyo. |
| But it was not until February 2001 that the family learned Lucie was definitely dead - her dismembered remains were found in a cave at Miura. | But it was not until February 2001 that the family learned Lucie was definitely dead - her dismembered remains were found in a cave at Miura. |
| Last year Mr Blackman accepted 100 million yen (£450,000) from a friend of Obara, but he denied it was "blood money" and said such "offers of condolence" were common in Japan and did not affect the court case. | Last year Mr Blackman accepted 100 million yen (£450,000) from a friend of Obara, but he denied it was "blood money" and said such "offers of condolence" were common in Japan and did not affect the court case. |
| Obara admits that he was with Lucie on the day she disappeared, but has always claimed that she became unwell at his apartment after taking drugs. | |
| He says that he then called an acquaintance and asked him to take her back to Tokyo. |