Justice near for killer pirates, but Blake family still battling on

By CATHERINE MASTERS

A verdict in the Sir Peter Blake case is expected within days, helping bring to a close a painful year for the Blake family.

The six Brazilians involved face at least 20 years' jail.

Sir Peter's wife, Lady Pippa, has faced a gruelling series of commemoration ceremonies around the world. Her grieving daughter, Sarah-Jane, is also dealing with the death of her best friend on the same continent where her father died.

Although the men confessed within days of Sir Peter's death on the Amazon in December, the federal judge has been deciding whether the charge they all face of latrocinio (armed robbery leading to death) is appropriate.

If not, he must then decide on a replacement charge and sentence.

The judge last week disallowed defence claims that ringleader Ricardo Colares Tavares, who fired the two fatal shots into the back of the skipper, was mentally ill at the time.

Sarah-Jane's friend died earlier this year while travelling in South America.

The friend was in South America for a year's travel. She rang her parents earlier this year and said she had a sore throat. Four days later, she died from a virus.

"She lost Peter last year and she's lost her best friend this year, so that's just appalling for her, just terrible," said Geoff Bullock, a Seamaster crew member who was also shot by the bandits.

Lady Pippa was "battling on", but Mr Bullock and another crew member, Don Robertson, said it had been a gruelling time and it was especially hard attending ceremonies honouring her late husband.

"The whole of this year's going to be like that ... every time somebody wants to award Peter for doing something Pippa's got to front up and see all these beaut pictures of Peter hugging her as he arrives ashore after winning something, and it's great for everyone else but she has to relive it," said Mr Bullock.

Mr Robertson said it was hard to say no to important events such as a recent ceremony in Monte Carlo, where Sir Peter was given a posthumous lifetime achievement award.

Mr Bullock said he was looking forward to the sentencing, due any day, and he hoped it would help everyone put the tragedy behind them.

The six bandits who raided the Seamaster in the middle of the night are likely to be sentenced to more than 20 years' jail.

Mr Bullock said he could not complain if they only served 10 years, because murderers in New Zealand served about that long.

There is no death sentence in Brazil, but Mr Bullock said he "would be happy to go over and switch the button on the chair" of Colares Tavares.

He hoped New Zealand authorities would demand to know every year where Colares Tavares was, so he could not be quietly released early on parole.

"If someone doesn't keep an eye on him, the Brazilian jails are pretty full, they might just let him go. I don't have a lot of faith in their system."

The Seamaster, Sir Peter's specially built expedition boat, is in Newport, Rhode Island, for routine maintenance.

It was behind schedule, and may not reach its next planned destination of Greenland, said Mr Robertson.

Although he expected sponsorship to be announced soon, it was hard work without Sir Peter.

"You're trying to put together sponsorship packages without the man who drove it before, and it's difficult and it's a slower process now."

Peter Blake, 1948-2001