British woman in Hong Kong gets six years’ jail over blackmail case
A 26-year-old British woman has been sentenced to six years in jail in Hong Kong after a court found her guilty of blackmail and perverting the course of justice over a rape allegation that the judge found to be false.
According to the Hong Kong Free Press, Isabel Rose reported to police in February 2024 that she had been raped by a man at his apartment.
Source: Hong Kong Free Press
Rose has maintained throughout the case that she was raped.
Text messages became central to the case
Rose had arrived in Hong Kong on 31 Jan 2024 to visit a man she had met in Thailand.
The alleged rape took place at his apartment in the early hours of 1 Feb.
Messages exchanged between the pair afterwards later became a key part of the prosecution’s case.
“Are you annoyed I didn’t want to have sex?” Rose wrote to the man the following morning.
He replied that he was not, adding that he had been “impressed” by her “restraint”.
Later that day, Rose told him that he had “violated” her and that she had not wanted to have sex.
The man apologised, saying he had been slightly drunk and had misread her signals, while adding that this was no excuse.
He later told the court that he had understood Rose’s use of the word “violated” to refer to an emotional violation, rather than an accusation of rape.
In a later message, Rose told him: “You basically raped me.”
“That’s not what I’m into at all and I feel sick,” he replied.
Forensic testing carried out in relation to the allegation was inconclusive.
Messages later turned to money
The pair subsequently began discussing money, with the man agreeing to reimburse Rose for her travel and accommodation.
Rose maintained that the payments were meant to cover expenses including her flights, accommodation, and medical costs.
“Send me the right amount you owe me for everything. Think about that. Think carefully,” Rose wrote.
The man transferred £5,000 (about S$8,600) to her and later attempted to send another £5,000.
Rose subsequently told him: “You’ve given 10% of what I’m owed.”
Source: moneycortex from pixabay on Pexels, for illustration purposes only
In another exchange, the man responded that he did not have £100,000 (about S$172,000) and had no way of paying her that amount.
The court heard that Rose had demanded £100,000 while threatening to report the man to police, which she denied.
Rose made a rape report to police on 3 Feb 2024. The man was arrested and questioned before being released without charge.
Court found she demanded £100,000
Rose was arrested shortly afterwards and later charged with blackmail and perverting the course of justice.
Following a six-day trial, the District Court found her guilty in March 2026.
Source: Google Maps, for illustration purposes only
Judge Adriana Noelle Tse Ching said it was “crystal clear” that Rose had demanded £100,000 from the man.
She described him as an honest and credible witness, while rejecting Rose’s account.
The judge also noted that Rose had deleted some messages and used disappearing-message functions.
At sentencing, Judge Tse said Rose had “not shown an iota of remorse for her wicked behaviour” and rejected arguments for a lighter sentence based on factors including her clean criminal record and status as a foreigner in Hong Kong.
Rose had been released on bail after her arrest but was unable to leave Hong Kong for almost two years while awaiting trial.
She was sentenced to five years’ imprisonment for blackmail and three years for perverting the course of justice.
One year of the latter sentence will run consecutively, bringing her total jail term to six years.
Also read: S’pore woman falsely accuses man of rape for not paying her S$1.2K after sex, pleads guilty
S’pore woman falsely accuses man of rape for not paying her S$1.2K after sex, pleads guilty
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Featured image adapted from Hong Kong Free Press and Google Maps, for illustration purposes only.
