A black British woman, Isabel Rose, has been sentenced to six-year jail term in Hong Kong for blackmail and perverting the course of justice following her police report accusing a white British man of raping her in a verdict that has sparked public outrage.
The Peoples Gazette learnt that the incident stemmed from a case in 2024 when the 26-year-old woman filed a report with the police accusing a man, named in court documents as ‘X’ for raping her in his Mid-Levels apartment in February of the same year.
Following her report, Hong Kong Free Press reported that it was Ms Rose who was arrested by police two days later over suspicion of blackmail and was charged with the allegation of pressuring Mr X to pay her £100,000 (HK$1.05 million).
An additional charge of perverting the course of justice was filed against her months later, with the prosecutor claiming that she filed a false police report, while no charge was brought against Mr X.
Both Ms Rose and Mr X testified at a six-day trial in March this year before the defendant was eventually found guilty of the charges, with Judge Adriana Noelle Tse Ching ruling that it was “crystal clear” that the she demanded the £100,000.
The judge also described Mr X as an “honest, credible and reliable witness,” while saying Ms Rose was “dishonest, incredible and unreliable” before setting July 22 as the sentencing date.
Sentencing Ms Rose on Wednesday, Ms Tse Ching committed her to six years’ imprisonment, stating that the defendant has “not shown an iota of remorse for her wicked behaviour.”
The judge also rejected pleas from Ms Ross’ lawyer for a lighter sentence, arguing that the defendant’s status in Hong Kong as a foreign national was not a mitigating factor.
She added that Mr X had been “nothing but kind to the defendant,” adding that Ms Rose took advantage of his “kindness, naivety, friendship and romantic interest.”
The verdict on Ms Rose sparked outrage among the public on social media with some faulting the language of the trial case about Mr X.
“A white British banker rapes a British black woman in Hong Kong and the judge describes him as “honest, credible and reliable.” She also said he had been: “nothing but kind” and the woman he allegedly raped took advantage of his “kindness, naivety, friendship & romantic interest,” X user @imavenusgirl stated.
“Calling rapist a compatriot speaks a lot about how the rapist is being embraced. Shame on the judge for not punishing the rapist and going ahead to jail the victim. How convenient to flip the script against her.
“Is her rapist going to jail or you are letting him go since justice is the focus here? Such a clueless wicked world,” Instagram user @rubys_bakery20 wrote.
Meanwhile, some netizens insinuated that minorities should avoid visiting countries that are not open, while others highlighted that the length of the sentence in Ms Rose’s case was unusually long.
“Stop being in places you’re not welcome for no reason and stop dating outside your race in non- western countries. Simple,” @uncle_caga_milhoes stated.
“The starting point of sentencing for rape in HK is only 5 years, and most child molesters persistent abuse kids got 4 years or less – this system is a fucking joke,” @hksanewsachive said.
