A Hong Kong court has sentenced a British woman to six years in prison after finding her guilty of blackmailing a banker by falsely accusing him of rape.
The woman, identified as 26-year-old Isabel Rose from Hackney, east London, was convicted after prosecutors proved she attempted to extort £100,000 from the man.
During sentencing on Wednesday, District Judge Adriana Tse criticised Rose’s actions, saying she had shown no remorse and deliberately manipulated the banker for financial gain. The judge also described the man as a truthful and dependable witness.
The incident dates back to early 2024, when Rose travelled to Hong Kong to meet the British banker, whom she had previously met in Thailand. She later reported him to police for alleged rape, leading to his arrest. However, authorities later dropped the case against him.
Instead, prosecutors accused Rose of using the allegation as leverage to demand money. The court heard that the banker initially paid her £10,000 in two separate transfers after she claimed the funds were for travel, accommodation and medical expenses.
Evidence presented during the trial included WhatsApp messages between the pair, after which Rose allegedly increased her demand to £100,000 and threatened to pursue the rape allegation if she was not paid.
After reviewing the evidence, the court found her guilty beyond reasonable doubt and imposed a six-year prison sentence.
