A London woman who falsely accused a banker of rape has been jailed in Hong Kong for six years.
Isabel Rose, 26, from Hackney, east London, was convicted of blackmail and perverting the course of justice after demanding £100,000 from the man she accused following a six-day trial in March.
Judge's remarks
Delivering the sentence on Wednesday, District Judge Adriana Tse said Rose had “not shown any remorse for her wicked behaviour”. The judge said it was “crystal clear” that Rose had demanded the money from the accused, describing him as an “honest, credible and reliable witness.”
Rose travelled to Hong Kong in early 2024 to meet a British man she had previously met while travelling in Thailand. She reported to police that she had been raped, which led to the man’s arrest, though he was later released without charge.
Prosecution and evidence
Prosecutors instead accused Rose of threatening to make a false rape report to extort up to £100,000 ($133,000) from the man. After a trial at Wanchai District Court, the judge ruled the prosecution had proved both charges beyond reasonable doubt.
On Wednesday, Judge Tse said Rose had exploited the accused's romantic attachment to manipulate him, demand money, and knowingly make a false allegation that led to his arrest.
The court was previously shown WhatsApp messages which were exchanged in the hours and days after the alleged rape. In one message, Rose wrote: “You violated me last night, I didn’t wanna have sex.” He replied: “I’m really 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.”
He transferred £5,000 to Rose before she requested another £5,000, claiming the money was compensation for flights, accommodation and to cover medical costs. She sent another message saying: “You’ve given 10% of what I’m owed. 100% of my soul gone.”
The judge said Rose then demanded £100,000 and threatened to go to the police, which she denied. Rose was remanded into custody at Hong Kong’s oldest maximum-security women’s prison before sentencing.
