A British woman has been sentenced to six years in prison in Hong Kong after being found guilty of falsely accusing a local banker of rape and attempting to extort more than HK$1 million (£100,000) from him.
The District Court convicted Isabel Anonia Barbra Eudora Rose of blackmail and perverting the course of justice following an investigation into her allegations.
According to the court, Rose met the banker while travelling in Thailand before he arranged for her to fly to Hong Kong, where she stayed at his home. The pair began a relationship and remained in contact, with messages presented in court showing she had referred to him as her “sugar daddy” and “my love”. On 31 January 2024, the two engaged in consensual intimate activity at his residence. The court heard that although the banker attempted to initiate sexual intercourse, he stopped after she declined.
The following day, Rose accused the banker of sexually assaulting her and demanded financial compensation. The court heard that after he apologised and offered between £2,000 and £5,000 for her expenses, she insisted he owed her £10,000. Although he transferred £5,000, prosecutors said she later demanded £100,000 (about HK$1.05 million) before reporting the alleged assault to police. Investigators later concluded the allegation was false, leading to her arrest on charges of blackmail and perverting the course of justice.
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Delivering the sentence, Judge Adriana Noelle Tse Ching described Rose’s conduct as “evil” and “cruel”, saying she had taken advantage of the banker’s kindness and affection. The judge also noted that she had shown no remorse and had deleted messages in an attempt to conceal the truth. The court rejected arguments that her British nationality and medical condition should reduce her sentence, ruling that Hong Kong’s prison system is equipped to provide both English-language support and appropriate medical care.
