Scarlett’s boyfriend’s aunts thought evil possessed him: Fiona

PANAJI - Scarlett Keeling’s boyfriend Julio Lobo’s aunts thought he was possessed by evil, the British teenager’s mother Fiona Mackeown told a local trial court Friday.

Fiona, 46, is in Goa to depose before the judicial authorities in connection with Scarlett Keeling’s trial at the Goa Children’s Court.

“His aunts were throwing holy water on him (Julio) as evil has (had) attacked him and wanted to get rid of them,” said Fiona, recalling a meeting with Julio at Curlies shack in Anjuna, a few days after Scarlett’s death.

According to a Roman Catholic custom, holy water blessed by the Church on Easter day is often used to sprinkle on a believer’s body to “drive out the devil” which could have possessed him/her.

Scarlett, 15, was living with Julio Lobo, when Fiona, her partner and the rest of Scarlett’s siblings were holidaying in Gokarna, a coastal town in Karnataka, nearly 120 km from here.

Julio was the first person to inform Fiona about Scarlett’s death over phone Feb 18, 2008. He was first employed as a waiter at Curlies when he met Fiona and Scarlett and later switched to working as a tour guide for foreigners.

In the course of investigations, Julio was also arrested for staying with a minor, which is illegal under the Goa Children’s Act (GCA). He was later released on bail.