Lucie's father 'helped killer by accepting blood money'

Tim Blackman's decision to accept £450,000 in 'mimaikin' - or condolence money - from a friend of Joji Obara makes it less likely he will be hanged, or even receive a full life sentence, it was claimed.

Miss Blackman's mother, Jane Steare, has condemned her exhusband's decision to take the payment, describing it as 'blood money'.

Yesterday - ahead of a verdict in the long-running case on Tuesday - Obara's legal team said they expected Mr Blackman's actions to be reflected in any sentence handed down to their client, should he be found guilty.

Lawyer Tamotsu Okuda said: "Yes, we are expecting it to have an effect on the judge's decision."

Pema Gyalpo, a professor of law at Yokohama University, added: "By accepting the money, it gives the impression that the case has been settled amicably.

"One party has expressed sorrow and the father accepting that regret along with the money makes it appear that the dispute is settled.

"I would say that was a serious mistake, if that was not his intent."

Miss Blackman, a former British Airways stewardess from Sevenoaks in Kent, disappeared in July 2000 after agreeing to meet a customer from the Casablanca hostess bar in Tokyo's Roppongi nightlife district.

Obara, a 54-year-old playboy, admits taking her on a date to his apartment in the coastal town of Miura, 50 miles southwest of Tokyo, but claims she was alive when a friend he refuses to identify drove her back to Tokyo.

Miss Blackman's dismembered body was found buried in a beach cave 200 metres from the apartment seven months later.

Mr Blackman is due to arrive in Japan tomorrow with his surviving daughter, Sophie, ahead of the verdict at Tokyo District Court on Tuesday.

As well as accepting the £450,000 from an associate of Obara last year, Mr Blackman reportedly signed a document questioning the accuracy of evidence put forward by the prosecution.

However, details of the paperwork have not been revealed and Mr Blackman also sent a letter to the Japanese police denouncing Obara as a mad and wicked criminal.

"I believe the defendant to be guilty of all charges," he wrote. "I do not forgive the defendant in any way whatsoever. The condolence from his friend is accepted just as we have received condolence from around the world."

Obara is charged with "rape resulting in death" of Miss Blackman.

He is also accused of causing the death of Australian Carlita Ridgeway, a hostess who died in similar circumstances in 1992.

Should he be found guilty, sentence is expected to be passed within the next month.

Japan has the death penalty, which Mr Blackman has said would be the appropriate sentence, but Obara is highly unlikely to be sentenced to hang.

The six years Obara has been in custoday will also be subtracted from his final sentence.

Last night a spokesman for the Lucie Blackman Trust said: "Tim Blackman is currently travelling to Tokyo to attend the court hearing next week and is therefore unavailable for comment."