A British woman from Hackney, east London, has been sentenced to six years in a Hong Kong maximum-security prison after being found guilty of fabricating a rape allegation and attempting to blackmail a banker. Isabel Rose, 26, was convicted on Wednesday in Hong Kong's District Court on charges of blackmail and perverting the course of public justice.
Case Details
Rose filed a police report in February 2024 claiming she was raped by a banker, identified only as X, in his high-rise apartment in the early hours of February 1. The case centered on WhatsApp messages exchanged between Rose and the banker after the alleged incident. In messages read in court, Rose wrote: "You violated me last night, I didn't wanna have sex." The banker replied: "I am deeply sorry. I was slightly drunk and I misread your signals, it's no excuse and I know it doesn't make it any better."
However, the banker later retracted this apparent admission, testifying that he misunderstood Rose's use of the word "violated" to refer to an emotional violation rather than a rape allegation. He claimed he had incorrectly read the message in two parts. Rose has maintained her innocence throughout the proceedings.
Judge's Ruling
District Court Judge Adriana Tse described the banker as "honest, credible and reliable," while labeling Rose "dishonest, uncredible and unreliable," according to the Hong Kong Free Press. The judge stated it was "crystal clear" that Rose had demanded £100,000 from the man she accused of rape. Tse noted that the banker had been "nothing but kind to the defendant" and that Rose had "taken advantage of his kindness, naivety, friendship and romantic interest."
Rose's lawyer pleaded for leniency based on her clean criminal record and status as a foreigner, but the judge rejected these arguments. "In the present case, good character is mere absence of convictions," Tse said, adding there was "nothing exemplary."
Impact on Rose
For the two years leading up to her trial, Rose was unable to work or leave Hong Kong. The banker was arrested on suspicion of rape but was never charged. Following the trial, Rose was sent to Tai Lam Correctional Institution, Hong Kong's oldest maximum-security women's prison.
A Metropolitan Police spokesperson said: "We take reports of this nature extremely seriously and remain committed to investigating all allegations thoroughly. However, we have been unable to pursue relevant lines of enquiry in relation to this particular allegation due to a lack of jurisdiction in the relevant country. Should circumstances change, we will pursue all relevant enquiries."
