China

UK: Chinese Student Gets Life for Drugging, Raping 10 Women

JUN 20 2025·Updated JUN 23 2025

Story

Above: Zhenhao Zou. Image credit: Metropolitan Police

The Facts

Zhenhao Zou, a 28-year-old Chinese PhD student at University College London, was on Thursday sentenced to life imprisonment with a minimum term of 24 years for drugging and raping 10 women in the U.K. and China between 2019 and 2023. Judge Rosina Cottage described him as a "sexual predator" who used a "charming mask" to hide his crimes.
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Mynewsdesk
guardian
Zou was convicted in March of 28 offenses, including 11 counts of rape, three counts of voyeurism, one count of false imprisonment, and possession of extreme pornographic images after targeting young Chinese women through social media platforms and dating apps, inviting them to his London apartments under the pretense of studying or having drinks.
Judiciary
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Breitbart
The former engineering student was found to have used the drug butanediol to render his victims unconscious before filming the assaults with hidden cameras and mobile phones, keeping jewelry and clothing as "souvenirs." Police searched over 1,600 hours of footage, described as one of their largest digital forensics cases.
BBC News
Judiciary
Mynewsdesk
Metropolitan Police believe the number of women who were victims of Zou is "much wider" than currently known, based on unidentified victims in video evidence. At least 24 women have come forward since his conviction following an international police appeal.
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Zou's arrest in January 2024 came after a victim reported the assault in November 2023, leading police to discover drugs, hidden cameras, and extensive video evidence at his Elephant and Castle flat. Investigators found he had committed offenses spanning two countries during his studies from 2017 to 2024.
Reuters
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The New York Times
Victim impact statements disclosed severe psychological trauma, including nightmares, self-harm, and ongoing anxiety, with one victim stating the attack was "etched into my soul forever" and expressing fear of retaliation due to Zou's family being "very powerful in China." The jury was excused from future service for two decades due to the graphic nature of the evidence.
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Sky News
The New York Times

Sources Split

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The Spin

Narrative A

Behind wealth and charm lurked a predator who weaponized trust to commit horrific crimes. His systematic drugging and rape of women, filmed secretly and commemorated with stolen trophies, reveals calculated evil. Exploiting academic connections to target vulnerable students, he shattered lives while maintaining a respectable facade.

The New York Times

CNN

Narrative B

Despite the life sentence, 24 more women have already come forward with the true depths of Zou's crimes yet to be discovered. Years of predatory behavior across multiple countries suggest dozens more women carry this secret trauma. His calculated targeting of vulnerable students means countless others may not even realize they were drugged and assaulted. Justice has not yet been fully served.

CPS