British woman jailed for 6 years in Hong Kong over £100,000 rape‑claim blackmail
Judge finds allegation fabricated, citing inconsistent messages and lack of forensic evidence
A Hong Kong court has sentenced a British woman to six years in prison after convicting her of blackmailing a compatriot for £100,000 (US$134,060) over rape allegations.
Isabel Anonia Barbra Eudora Rose, 26, was sentenced at the District Court on Wednesday, with Judge Adriana Noelle Tse Ching finding her guilty of blackmail and perverting the course of public justice.
Rose, an event management professional from London, arrived in Hong Kong on January 31, 2024, to visit a man she met during a trip to Thailand the month before. She alleged he raped her that night at his one-bedroom flat in Central.
The following day, the pair exchanged messages discussing both what had happened and possible compensation. In one message, Rose wrote: “You basically raped me,” to which the man replied: “That is not what I’m into at all and I feel sick.”
She reported the alleged rape to police on February 3. The court heard that the man was initially arrested and questioned, but officers arrested Rose the following day and later charged her.
In her verdict, Tse accepted the man’s account and relied in part on the messages exchanged after the encounter.