Drug-rape student 'among most prolific predators'

A PhD student who has been convicted of drugging and raping 10 women "may turn out to be one of the most prolific sexual predators that we've ever seen in this country", according to the lead detective on the case.

Chinese national Zhenhao Zou, 28, attacked two women who have been identified and another eight who have yet to be traced, his trial at Inner London Crown Court heard.

The University College London (UCL) student filmed nine assaults as "souvenirs", and kept a trophy box of victims' belongings including jewellery and clothing.

Judge Rosina Cottage said Zou was a "dangerous and predatory" offender and warned him he faces a "very long" jail term when he is sentenced on 19 June.

The Met Police has launched an appeal to find any more of Zou's potential victims

The Met Police's Cdr Kevin Southworth said the video evidence showed there may be as many as 50 further victims, whom they are "desperate to trace".

"Such is the insidious nature of these offences, I think there is a possibility that many more victim survivors may not even know that he has, in fact, raped them," he said.

Following the trial and as a result of the media coverage, the Met confirmed that one woman had already been in touch about Zou.

Zou kept a trophy box of victims' belongings

As well as 11 counts of rape, Zou was found guilty of voyeurism, possession of extreme pornographic images and false imprisonment.

The crimes he has been convicted of took place between 2019 and 2024.

Hidden cameras were discovered by the Met Police in his bedroom, as well as ecstasy and an industrial chemical the human body turns into the "date-rape" drug GHB.

Seven of the rapes happened during the pandemic in China. The evidence of those attacks was videos shown to the jury that Zou kept of him having sex with unconscious and semi-conscious women. Police have never identified them.

Four of the rapes took place in London. Two women were identified and gave evidence; the other two rapes were of the same woman, but she has never been tracked down.

Zou filmed the women using spy-cameras

Jurors had to watch footage of nine of the rapes during court proceedings, appearing visibly upset and being given regular breaks as the material was shown.

Some of the attacks were filmed at his flats in Bloomsbury and Elephant and Castle, others at an unknown location in China.

The prosecutions relating to attacks in China were possible because foreign nationals who are living in the UK can be charged with an offence committed abroad that is also illegal in the country where it took place.

In his defence, Zou told the jury he had discussed sexual preferences with one of the women he filmed, and she had said she liked "uniform role play".

"We specifically discussed the kinds of role play I like, which was rape role play," he said. He told the court this was how the videos came to be made.

Zou paid £4,000 a month to rent his luxury flat

The student comes from a wealthy family, and had enough money to afford a Rolex watch, a wardrobe full of designer clothes and cosmetic procedures including a hair transplant and facial surgery.

He paid £4,000 a month in rent.

Zou moved to Belfast in 2017 to study at Queen's University before heading to London in 2019 to do a master's degree and then a PhD at UCL.

'Courageous women'

The Met Police has launched an appeal to find any other victims.

"If you're a woman who's in any way had a one-on-one encounter with this man Zou, then we would like to hear from you," Cdr Southworth said.

The force said it was particularly keen to hear from women from the Chinese student community who may have met Zou and were living in and around London between 2019 and 2024.

The Met said it would also like to speak to potential victims who may have met Zou while he was living in China. Reports to the force can be made online via the Major Incident Public Portal.

UCL president Dr Michael Spence said:  "We have been appalled by these horrific offences.

"Our thoughts are with the survivors and we wish to pay tribute to the bravery of the women who reported these crimes and gave evidence at the trial."

Saira Pike from the Crown Prosecution Service said: "I'd like to express my heartfelt thanks to the courageous women who came forward to report Zhenhao Zou's heinous crimes.

"They have been incredibly strong and brave – there is no doubt that their evidence helped us to secure today's verdict.

"Zou is a serial rapist and a danger to women."

The charges in full

The jury found Zou guilty of:

• 11 counts of rape, with two of the offences relating to one victim

• Three counts of voyeurism

• 10 counts of possession of an extreme pornographic image

• One count of false imprisonment

• Three counts of possession of a controlled drug with intent to commit a sexual offence

He was cleared of two further counts of possession of an extreme pornographic image, and five counts of possession of controlled drugs to commit a sexual offence.