Lucie Blackman was working as a bar hostess in Tokyo in 2000 when she was unfortunate enough to meet Joji Obara. He allegedly abducted, drugged, raped and murdered her, before dismembering her body which he then dumped in a cave not far from his home. Her remains were uncovered the following year.

Faced with questions about her death, Obara claimed that there was nothing to link him with it. Japan’s much-vaunted 98% conviction rate is down to judges relying on confessions. And despite six months of police questioning, Obara wasn’t forthcoming. This, coupled with an investigation that is now famous for being lacking in almost every degree, meant that while Obara was charged with abduction, rape resulting in death, mutilation and abandonment of a corpse, he wasn’t actually charged with murder.

Peculiar then, that Obara should have offered £200,000 to the family of Australian Carita Ridgway, another of his alleged victims. Then in April last year, he offered Jane Steare, Lucie’s mother, the same amount. Later that month, he is said to have offered Tim Blackman, Lucie’s father, more than a quarter of a million pounds on condition that he refuse to give evidence in court. All these offers were turned down. However, this week, Tim Blackman was offered ¥100 million (around half a million pounds), which he apparently accepted. It’s not for me to judge his decision, but it throws up a couple of interesting points.

To any sane-minded person, these extraordinary offers must clearly be admissions of guilt. Or perhaps Obara is convinced he’ll be convicted despite his protestations of innocence. But why would you offer such vast sums of money to people you claim no connection to? Tim Blackman, in a statement, said he accepted the money as “condolence money”, and Obara’s defence team said he’d sent the money out of a feeling of “moral responsibility.”

“Moral responsibility”? Unless you’re guilty, why assume the responsibility? And either way, isn’t it a bit late for that.

And extraordinary then, that while Obara was this morning sentenced to life imprisonment on charges of drugging and raping 9 women, he was acquitted of all charges relating to Lucie Blackman.

Once more, questions will be asked about how the police managed to botch this case so badly. But was it the botched investigation or the “condolence money” that led to his acquittal on those charges? Did the judge feel the police hadn’t given enough evidence to ensure conviction, or was the money seen as recompense enough?