A British woman has been sentenced to six years in prison in Hong Kong after a court convicted her of blackmail and perverting the course of justice over a false rape allegation against a banker.
Isabel Rose, 26, from Hackney, east London, was sentenced at Hong Kong’s District Court after being found guilty in March of fabricating a rape claim against a British banker she had travelled to Hong Kong to visit in January 2024.
Rose had alleged that the man raped her after she visited him following their meeting in Thailand a month earlier. The banker was arrested after she reported the allegation to police but was later released without charge.
She was subsequently arrested and charged after investigators determined that her claim was false.
Prosecutors told the court that Rose made the allegation as part of an attempt to obtain £100,000 ($134,000) from the man. She denied the charges throughout the trial and maintained that she had been raped.
During sentencing, Judge Adriana Tse imposed a five-year prison term for blackmail and three years for perverting the course of justice, with one year ordered to run consecutively, resulting in a total sentence of six years.
The court heard that WhatsApp messages exchanged between Rose and the banker after the alleged incident played a key role in the prosecution’s case.
In one message sent the morning after the encounter, Rose wrote: “Are you annoyed I didn’t want to have sex,” to which the man replied that he was not and said he respected her decision.
Later, Rose accused him of violating her, writing: “You violated me last night, I didn’t wanna have sex.”
The man responded by apologising, saying he had misunderstood the situation and that he felt sick about what had happened.
Rose later told him: “You basically raped me,” while he replied that such behaviour was not something he was interested in.
The court also heard that the pair later discussed money, with the man agreeing to reimburse Rose for her travel and accommodation expenses.
According to court documents, Rose demanded a larger payment, eventually requesting £100,000. The man transferred £5,000 and attempted to send another £5,000.
Rose later reported the alleged rape to police on February 3, 2024. The banker was arrested and questioned before being released without charge, while Rose was arrested the following day.
In her ruling, Judge Tse described Rose’s actions as a “cruel and evil” offence, saying she exploited the man’s kindness, trust and romantic interest.
The judge also described her false report to police as “vengeful and wicked” and said Rose was responsible for the consequences of her actions.
The conviction brings an end to a case that attracted significant attention in Hong Kong due to the seriousness of the allegations and the subsequent prosecution for making a false report.
