A Hong Kong court has sentenced 26-year-old British woman Isabel Rose to six years in prison after finding her guilty of blackmail and perverting the course of public justice in connection with a false rape allegation against a British banker.
According to court proceedings reports, Rose, 26, who is from south-east London, travelled to Hong Kong in January 2024 to visit the banker after the pair met while travelling in Thailand. Following her visit, she accused him of raping her at his apartment and reported the alleged incident to the police.
The banker was initially arrested as authorities launched an investigation. However, after reviewing the available evidence, police released him without charges. Rather, instead brought criminal charges against Rose for blackmail and perverting the course of public justice.
Prosecutors told the court that Rose demanded £5,000 from the banker shortly after the alleged assault before later increasing the amount to £100,000. They alleged she threatened to report him to the police unless he paid the money.
Rose denied the allegation, insisting the payment are compensation from the banker. She added that he voluntarily offered to cover her flights, accommodation, and medical expenses. Although forensic examinations did not conclusively establish what had occurred.
However the presiding District Judge Adriana Noelle Tse Ching accepted the banker’s evidence, rejected Rose’s testimony, and ruled that the rape allegation had been fabricated. In delivering the judgment, Adriana Noelle stressed that Rose had shown “not an iota of remorse,” describing her conduct as “wicked” and “evil.”
The court also examined WhatsApp conversations exchanged after the alleged incident. In one message, Rose wrote that she had been violated and did not want sex. The banker responded by apologising, saying he had been slightly intoxicated and had misread her signals. He later testified that his apology referred to causing emotional distress rather than admitting to rape. The judge further noted that Rose had deleted some messages and made use of disappearing chats during their conversations.
Despite the conviction, Rose continues to maintain that she was raped and is innocent of the offences. Her spokesperson said she and her family are considering their legal options.
