A former Chinese postgraduate student has been handed a life sentence in the UK for a series of disturbing and meticulously planned sexual assaults that spanned two countries and left a trail of trauma and unanswered questions.
Zhenhao Zou, 28, was convicted of drugging and raping at least 10 women three in London and seven in China between 2019 and 2023. Authorities believe the true number of victims could be far higher, with London police indicating they have gathered evidence pointing to over 50 potential targets.
At Inner London Crown Court, Judge Rosina Cottage condemned Zou’s actions as part of a “calculated and predatory campaign of rape.” She said the former University College London engineering student maintained a double life appearing outwardly successful, charming, and driven, while concealing the mindset of a manipulative sexual predator.
“You treated your victims with cold disregard, using them as nothing more than objects for your own gratification,” Judge Cottage told him. “This was a deliberate exercise of power and control over women.”
Zou will serve a minimum of 22 years behind bars, with his life sentence reflecting the enduring threat he poses. He was found guilty on 28 counts, including 11 charges of rape two of which related to a single victim alongside charges of false imprisonment, voyeurism, drug possession with intent to commit a sexual offence, and possession of extreme pornographic content.
The court heard that Zou lured young Chinese women most of them students into his London flat under the pretense of studying together or having drinks. He then drugged them, carried out the assaults, and filmed at least nine of the attacks using hidden or handheld cameras. To date, only three of his 10 confirmed victims have been identified.
Among the charges was the possession of butanediol, a powerful industrial solvent known to be used as a date rape drug. Prosecutors said he had acquired it with the intent of incapacitating his victims.
During sentencing, Zou stood in the dock dressed in a dark suit and glasses, listening to the court proceedings through a translator. He showed no visible emotion as the gravity of the punishment was laid out.
The case has sent shockwaves through both the UK and China, with authorities continuing to investigate the possibility of additional victims. Police have appealed for more women who may have encountered Zou to come forward.
As the court proceedings concluded, Judge Cottage emphasized the devastating, long-term impact on the survivors many of whom may never come forward. She noted the courage of those who did, and reaffirmed that justice would continue to pursue predators who use charm and intellect as a disguise for cruelty.
