LONDON — A Chinese doctoral student has been found guilty of drugging and sexually assaulting 10 women across England and China, with authorities suggesting the potential for over 50 more victims. Zhenhao Zou, aged 28, faced the charges for offenses occurring from 2019 to 2023 in a trial that took place at the Inner London Crown Court. The court convicted him of 11 counts of rape, with one victim having endured two separate offenses.?
After deliberating for more than 19 hours, the jury concluded that Zou had raped three women in London and seven in China. This case highlights what police believe to be just the tip of the iceberg, as they suspect Zou could be one of the UK’s most prolific sexual offenders if all potential victims are identified.?
Known for recording his assaults covertly, Zou used hidden or handheld cameras to document nine of the attacks as “souvenirs” and was found to have kept a collection of personal items from these women as trophies. Zou, who pursued a PhD in mechanical engineering at University College London, defended his actions by claiming the sexual activities were consensual. He is scheduled to be sentenced on June 19.?
Throughout the trial, jurors were shown footage of the assaults and were permitted regular breaks due to the distressing nature of the evidence. Judge Rosina Cottage characterized the defendant as a “dangerous and predatory sexual offender,” vowing to impose a “very long” sentence.?
Zou exhibited no visible reaction when the verdicts were announced and was additionally found guilty of three voyeurism counts, 10 counts of possessing extreme pornographic images, one count of false imprisonment, and three counts of possessing a controlled drug with intent to commit a sexual offense, specifically butanediol. However, he was acquitted of two additional charges related to extreme pornographic images and one involving MDMA intended for sexual offenses.?
Operating under the pseudonym Pakho on internet platforms, Zou targeted compatriots—Chinese heritage students—via WeChat and dating apps, luring them in with invitations to his London apartments or unknown sites in China where he would administer drugs.?
Metropolitan Police Commander Kevin Southworth highlighted the calculated nature of Zou’s crimes, describing how he incapacitated his victims to the point of obliterating any possible resistance, nor full memory of the assaults. Southworth expressed gratitude towards the two women who bravely testified against the “cowardly and deceitful” individual, supporting estimates that as many as 50 more women may have suffered similarly.?
The Metropolitan Police calls on anyone suspecting to be targeted by Zou to come forward. During the proceedings, concerns regarding translation quality were raised, following a critical call to the police by one of the women involved.?
Zou relocated to Belfast, Northern Ireland, in 2017 for mechanical engineering studies at Queen’s University before progressing to UCL in 2019 to pursue his master’s and subsequently, a PhD.?
UCL’s president, Dr. Michael Spence, extended his sympathies to the victims, applauding the courage of those who reported the crimes and testified, reinforcing the University’s position of support for the survivors.
