Rachel Rose's six-year prison sentence in Hong Kong has sent shockwaves through the UK expat community after a court found her guilty of blackmail and perverting the course of public justice. The 26-year-old from South East London had made international headlines earlier this year when she accused a British banker of rape following her arrival in Hong Kong in January 2024.
According to the prosecution, Rose's allegations against the unnamed banker were 'completely fabricated', with District Judge Adriana Noelle Tse Ching stating that she showed 'not an iota of remorse' during the proceedings. The court heard how Rose initially claimed to have been raped in the man's apartment just 12 hours after landing, sparking a lengthy and costly investigation.
The banker was subsequently arrested and later released, but it is alleged that Rose continued to demand money from him, escalating her demands from £5,000 to £100,000. Prosecutors claimed this constituted blackmail, with the judge ultimately accepting the banker's account of events over Rose's own evidence.
Forensic testing in relation to the alleged rape proved inconclusive, but a comprehensive 300-page judgment by Judge Tse Ching highlighted inconsistencies in Rose's story. The court also scrutinised WhatsApp messages exchanged between the pair, noting that Rose had used disappearing messages and deleted some texts.
The judge described Rose's conduct as 'wicked' and 'evil', rejecting claims from her legal team for a more lenient sentence. With Rose having spent nearly two years on bail in Hong Kong while awaiting trial, her family has reportedly incurred tens of thousands of pounds in costs fighting the case.