Lucie's murder: father flies to Japan for verdict

For nearly seven years, Tim Blackman has fought to obtain justice for his daughter Lucie, the murdered British flight attendant. Yesterday he flew to Japan in the hope of seeing her killer jailed.

It has been a long and harrowing journey for him and his family. For seven months after Lucie disappeared in July 2000, Mr Blackman and his other daughter, Sophie, searched the streets of Tokyo, handing out posters in a desperate attempt to find her. The 21-year-old's dismembered body was eventually discovered in an isolated seaside cave in February 2001. Her head had been encased in concrete, her long blonde hair cut off.

The verdict in the case against Joji Obara, the businessman accused of Lucie's killing and rape, is expected on Tuesday. The Japanese playboy is also suspected of the rape and murder of an Australian woman, Carita Ridgway, and charged with eight other rapes. If found guilty, he could face between 12 and 30 years in jail.

Mr Blackman feels nothing but contempt for Obara, the man described as a "cunning beast" by Japanese prosecutors. "He did strike me as a pathetic case in the early days but there is no evidence of any sort of sorrow or remorse," said Mr Blackman, who also has a son. "He has lied and this has drawn the whole process out as long as possible. It was like he was taking part in some ghastly sexual role play. Because he had a lot of money he was able to entice many victims."

The circumstantial evidence against Obara includes nearly 200 videotapes of him having sex with semiconscious women as well as the discovery at his home of date-rape drugs and blonde hairs belonging to Lucie. He has always denied any involvement in her death and last week angered the Blackman family by claiming on his website that Lucie was a manic depressive and a drug-user.

Mr Blackman attracted controversy in October for accepting a £450,000 "condolence" payment from representatives of Obara.

At the time of her death, Lucie had quit her job with British Airways and gone to Japan to work as a bar hostess to help clear her debts. Like thousands of young women her age, she was determined to enjoy herself and be independent.

Her father said there is little he could have done to stop her going to Japan, but wishes he had known more about the risks.

"She was 21 years old and I would not have been in a position to deny her right to travel. What I regret is that at that time I was unaware, like so many parents, of some of the dangers of travelling abroad. It seems if you have £500 you can go anywhere in the globe. The tragedy of Lucie must make people stop and think."

The agony of losing his daughter does not get any easier, but he has found solace in setting up the Lucie Blackman Trust, which promotes education and safety for young people. Next month, it will launch a new safe travel campaign for young people.

"I like perpetuating Lucie's image for the benefit of other people and I hope that will continue for a number of years. It came home to me just how Lucie is etched into the minds and emotions of the public," said Mr Blackman, who lives on the Isle of Wight and is divorced from Lucie's mother, Jane. "When we started doing campaigns about drinking safely, everyone recognised Lucie's picture."

His most treasured keepsake of his daughter is her British Airways crew label, which reminds him of how proud she was of her job.

"When they were looking for Lucie we were called into the police station to look at all her clothes, which were all laid out on a trestle table - it was all immensely sad," he said.

"I noticed her little British Airways crew label and popped it in my pocket - that is probably the single little thing that links me to her life. She was so proud to be an air hostess. It's a shame she did not stay doing it."