British Woman Sentenced in Hong Kong for Blackmail Following Rape Allegation Against Banker

A Hong Kong court has sentenced a British woman to six years in prison—five years for blackmail and three years for perverting the course of justice, with one year to run consecutively—according to local media reports.

Prosecutors contended that the defendant, identified as Rose, fabricated the sexual assault allegation to extort approximately £100,000 ($134,000) from a banker whose identity remains protected. Rose pleaded not guilty throughout the trial and has consistently maintained that she was raped.

Court documents indicate Rose traveled to Hong Kong on January 31, 2024, after meeting the man in Thailand the previous month. Central to the prosecution’s case were WhatsApp messages exchanged in the hours and days following the alleged incident on February 1 at the man’s apartment.

In a message sent the morning after the alleged assault, Rose asked: “Are you annoyed I didn’t want to have sex.” The man responded: “What no of course not. Was impressed by your restraint.”

Later that day, 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.”

In a subsequent exchange, Rose stated: “You basically raped me.” The man answered: “That’s not what I’m into at all and I feel sick.”

The correspondence later shifted to financial matters. According to the written judgment published in March, the man agreed to reimburse Rose for her travel and accommodation expenses. In one message, Rose wrote: “Send me the right amount you owe me for everything. Think about that. Think carefully.”

The man transferred £5,000 that day and attempted to send an additional £5,000. Rose subsequently messaged: “You’ve given 10% of what I’m owed. 100% of my soul gone.”

In a later message, the man wrote: “But I don’t have 100k, I have no way of paying you that.”

Rose reported the alleged rape to police on February 3. The man was arrested and questioned before being released without charge. Rose was arrested the following day and subsequently charged with blackmail and perverting the course of public justice.

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