Inside lair of serial rapist chillingly fitted out with cameras
Zhenhao Zou would go out with women, before drugging and raping them in his flat in south-east London, which was covered in CCTV to film the depravity that went on inside
Serial rapist Zhenhao Zou has today been jailed for life and must serve a minimum of 24 years in prison after raping women across the world.
The PhD student's last attacks are believed to have taken place inside his flat in Elephant and Castle, south-east London, which although came with an expensive rent, he lived in relative squalor. Images released by detectives today as he was sentenced for 10 counts of rape, show the chaos inside his lair.
Zou would go out with women, before inviting him back to this flat which was covered in CCTV to film what when on inside. He would then drug them, making them unconscious or drowsy so they were unable to fight back or escape as he raped them.
In one disturbing video of an attack, which jurors at his four-week trial were made to sit through, a woman could be heard screaming in terror as she tried to get away. In another a woman is heard telling Zou to stop while she struggles to stay awake. At one point he tells her 'the sound insulation here is very good'.
Among the photographs released today are images of his bathroom, bedroom and living room, where suitcases can be seen strewn across the entrance way. An overflowing bin sits near a breakfast bar which is littered with dozens of bottles of alcohol, as a prized laptop sits on charge in a table in the middle of the room.
His bedroom is just as disturbing, which although has a vista across the London skyline, has no duvet or covers on the large double bed, just two pillows and a messy desk. It is in this room after scurrying through his belongings to find his ID, that he was arrested for rape in January 2024.
If was after his arrest that detectives moved in and found more and more chilling evidence of his crimes. Dozens of condoms neatly stacked in a Louis Vuitton box, a range of trophies including hair bands, a lipstick, earrings and a sock, he kept from his victims, as well, MDMA, GHB, Ketamine, and Xanax.
The student, who moved to Belfast in 2017 to study at Queen's University before coming to London in 2019 to do a master's degree and then a PhD at UCL, faced a total of 35 counts.
The mechanical engineering student was found guilty of 10 counts of rape and was also convicted of three counts of voyeurism, 10 of possession of an extreme pornographic image, one of false imprisonment and three of possession of a controlled drug with intent to commit a sexual offence, namely butanediol.
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Daily Mail
19 hours ago
- Daily Mail
Chinese PhD student who drugged and raped 10 women asked to be chemically castrated in bid to avoid jail time
A Chinese PhD student who drugged and raped 10 women asked to be chemically castrated in an attempt to avoid going to prison. Zhenhao Zou, 28, was yesterday jailed for a minimum of 22 years for the vile attacks during his time studying at University College, London. Following his conviction in March, detectives revealed they had evidence relating to suspected attacks on another 50 women in the UK and China after uncovering a sickening collection of trophy videos kept by the engineering PhD student as a souvenir. Now a further 24 victims have come forward saying they were raped by Zou while he was studying in the UK. The fiend filmed some of his victims helpless and stupefied in sick home videos that he kept of his attacks. Inner London Crown Court heard that Zou had offered to be chemically castrated to avoid a life sentence. But Judge Rosina Cottage said he would always be a risk to the public because of his 'sexual interest' in 'asserting power and control over women', adding that the victims were just 'pieces in an elaborate game'. Jailing him for life, she said: 'The charming mask hid the fact that you are also a sexual predator.' Chemical castration of paedophiles and other sex offenders is currently being piloted in south-west England, and includes taking two drugs, one to limit sexual thoughts and the other to reduce testosterone and limit libido. Chemical castration is voluntary in Germany, France, Sweden and Denmark, and some sex offenders actively seek it out. Justice Secretary Shabana Mahmood recently announced the existing pilot would be expanded to 20 prisons. Victims told yesterday how they were 'haunted' by what Zou had done to them as a judge said he had treated unconscious women like 'sex toys' for his own pleasure. The son of a wealthy Chinese Communist Party official and industrialist, Zou stalked student bars, accommodation and online dating apps looking for victims, plying unsuspecting women with drinks laced with drugs. He lured the women back to his lavish student apartment in East London with the promise of a party or help with studies, before stupefying them with drink and drugs until they fell unconscious, enabling him to film his sickening attacks on hidden bedroom spy cameras. One victim, whom Zou had described as 'the perfect girlfriend choice', recalled waking in a strange room after going to a drinking party in 2021: 'I experienced for the first time a loss of consciousness. 'I opened my eyes for a few seconds during the sexual assault in his room, he was thrusting violently against my body. I was completely powerless and could only use all my strength to demand he stop. 'Although I lost consciousness just moments later, his face in that moment will clearly stay in my mind forever.' She later awoke naked lying next to him: 'Panic surged through me-everything about the room I was in was unfamiliar and I had no memory of how I got there. 'That night, it was as if the world had vanished from my life for hours. 'Everything in this world- my memories, time, even my own body- no longer felt like mine. Overwhelmed by fear, my only thought was to escape. A Tinder profile where the student appears under a different name 'Stumbling out of his room, I found myself in a completely unknown place. I didn't know where I was or how to leave. The memories of that night were fragmented- I only recall wandering like a trapped animal, desperately searching for an exit. 'For over a week afterward, I locked myself in my bathroom, consumed by terror, confusion, anger, and shame.' She added: 'I still can't read news about him or see his photo without feeling sick... 'To this day, I struggle to trust anyone. I avoid new friendships, trapped in the aftermath of what he did. 'Words will never fully convey the depth of this wound. But one thing is certain: what happened that night is etched into my soul forever. His face, his expression-they will never leave me. 'I will never forgive him.' Disturbingly, many of the women targeted may not realise they had been raped as some of Zou's home videos showed his captives so incapacitated that he was able to slap one victim around the face without them rousing. Zou unwittingly left a treasure trove of evidence for officers by recording the attacks for his own twisted gratification and hoarding personal items stolen from victims, ranging from underwear and lipstick to a Chanel earring. The bedroom in Zou's flat, where he chillingly boasted that 'the sound insulation is very good' By the time of his trial, only two of the 10 rape victims had been identified by police, but now detectives have traced a third victim. Detectives have established from the video clips seized that there are at least another 50 unknown women attacked. One victim said the attack in his London flat in May 2023 had a 'severe impact' on her mental health, resulting in her self-harming to try to manage the pain. 'I have no trust in others. Before this incident, I was not aware that a human could do such evil things,' she said in her victim impact statement. 'I am in so much mental agony and pain. I am not sure anything will help what I have gone through. 'When I heard that he had been found guilty, I was very pleased but even more pleased as I knew that women were safe, and there would be no more victims who would have to go through what I have gone through. 'When I see his image I am overcome with fear. 'I know his family is very powerful in China, and he may blame me for ruining his what was a potentially prosperous future. I believe he would confront me and seek revenge by doing horrible things. 'I fear if he is released he will commit the same crime again, I do not think he has learnt his lesson, or ever will.' A hidden spy camera that the rapist used to record his crimes The judge said of her case: 'Outrageously, she was trolled on social media for having bravely warned others. It has rocked her to her core, she feels guilt for your behaviour, you (Zou) feel no shame.' Another victim in China described being 'gagged by shame' and 'haunted' by nightmares following the attack. Yesterday, jurors who had earlier wept on seeing the distressing rape videos, returned to Inner London Crown Court to see him sentenced. Bespectacled Zou, smartly dressed in a navy suit and tie, stared at jurors, showing no emotion as he was jailed. Scotland Yard began investigating Zou in November 2023 after a woman reported him for rape. When officers examined his digital devices, they uncovered more than 1,600 hours of videos. Victims living in Britain, China, Australia, the Middle East and Europe have since come forward. Chillingly, Zou said the victims in his videos were only pretending to be asleep as he enjoyed 'time-stop' pornography. But officers believe the sexual deviant is one of Britain's most prolific sex offenders after Reynhard Sinaga and Black cab rapist John Worboys. Sinaga, 42, was convicted of 159 sex attacks on 48 heterosexual men in Manchester between 2015 and 2017. Worboys, 67, was convicted of 19 sex attacks against 12 women between 2006 and 2008. Zou was convicted in March for raping three women in London and seven victims in China between September 2019 and May 2023. He was also convicted of 11 counts of rape, three counts of voyeurism, 10 of possession of an extreme pornographic image, one of false imprisonment and three of possession of a controlled drug with intent to commit a sexual offence, namely butanediol. Saira Pike, of the Crown Prosecution Service, said: 'Zou is a serial rapist and a danger to women. His life sentence reflects the heinous acts and harm he caused to women and the danger he posed to society.' The Metropolitan Police is appealing to anyone who thinks they may have been targeted by Zou to contact the force either by emailing survivors@ or via the major incident public portal on the force's website.
NBC News
19 hours ago
- NBC News
Chinese Ph.D. student sentenced to at least 24 years in prison for raping multiple women
LONDON — A British judge on Thursday sentenced a Chinese Ph.D. student to a minimum of 24 years in prison for drugging and raping 10 women in England and China. Zhenhao Zou, 28, was convicted of the attacks, which took place from 2019 to 2023, during a four-week trial earlier this year at Inner London Crown Court. Judge Rosina Cottage on Thursday described Zou as a 'very bright young man' who used a manipulative 'charming mask' to hide that he is a 'sexual predator.' Zou was studying for a Ph.D. in mechanical engineering at University College London in 2023 when the first woman came forward to allege that he had raped her. As part of the investigation, police seized Zou's phone, on which they found videos of him raping unconscious women. A search of his apartment in south London turned up sedatives and recording equipment. The investigation into Zou's crimes continues, and at least 24 women have come forward with new allegations as a result of the publicity surrounding his trial, London's Metropolitan Police Service said. Taken together, the cases would make him one of the worst sex offenders in U.K. history. Zou, who also used the name Pakho online, befriended fellow students of Chinese heritage on dating apps and WeChat, before inviting them for drinks and drugging them at his apartments in London or an unknown location in China. Using hidden or handheld cameras, Zou filmed nine of the attacks as 'souvenirs,' and he kept a 'trophy box' of his victims' belongings, according to evidence presented at trial. Zou, who claimed the encounters were consensual, was also convicted of three counts of voyeurism, 10 of possessing an extreme pornographic image, one of false imprisonment and three of possessing a controlled drug with intent to commit a sexual offense. He was handed a life sentence and must serve a minimum of 24 years in prison. Prosecutor Saira Pike praised the victims who came forward to report Zou's 'horrific crimes.' 'They have been incredibly strong and brave,' Pike said. 'There is no doubt that their evidence helped us to secure his conviction, and the life sentence handed to him today.'
Leader Live
a day ago
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Chinese student who raped 10 women is ‘one of the most prolific predators'
Zhenhao Zou, 28, drugged and raped 10 women in London and China. He kept a trophy box of women's belongings and filmed nine of the rapes on women as they lost consciousness. Three of the 10 victims have been identified, prosecutors say, but Metropolitan Police detectives fear he could have targeted dozens more women. Sentencing Zou at Inner London Crown Court on Thursday, Judge Rosina Cottage told him he would serve 22 years and 227 days before he was eligible for parole, taking into account time spent on remand. The judge said the defendant is a 'very bright young man' who used a manipulative 'charming mask' to hide that he is a 'sexual predator'. She said that Zou 'planned and executed a campaign of rape', treating the women 'callously' and as 'sex toys' for his own pleasure, which had 'devastating and long-term effects'. The judge told the court that Zou has a 'sexual interest' in 'asserting power and control over women', adding that the victims were 'pieces in an elaborate game' for the defendant, who has 'no understanding of the meaning of consent'. Zou was unmoved in the dock as he heard his sentence. Detective inspector Richard Mackenzie told reporters outside the court: 'The sheer scale of his offending, which spanned two countries, makes him one of the most prolific predators we have ever seen.' After a month-long trial, Zou, who was most recently living in Elephant and Castle, south-east London, was found guilty of raping three women in London and another seven in China between September 2019 and May 2023. He was convicted of 11 counts of rape, with two of the offences relating to one victim. Zou was also convicted of three counts of voyeurism, 10 of possession of an extreme pornographic image, one of false imprisonment and three of possession of a controlled drug with intent to commit a sexual offence, namely butanediol. Prosecutors said Zou appeared to be 'a smart and charming young man', but was in fact 'a persistent sexual predator, a voyeur and a rapist'. He comes from a wealthy family, affording a Rolex, a wardrobe of designer clothes, cosmetic procedures such as a hair transplant and facial surgery, and thousands in monthly rent while living in London as an international engineering student. Zou, who also used the name Pakho online, befriended fellow Chinese students on WeChat and dating apps before inviting them for drinks and drugging them at his flats in London or an unknown location in China. The student first moved to Belfast in 2017 to study mechanical engineering at Queen's University before heading to London in 2019 to do a master's degree and then a PhD at University College London (UCL). His crimes began to be uncovered in November 2023, when a woman went to police to allege she had been attacked by Zou. There was not enough evidence to bring a criminal charge over the claim, but when Zou's phone was seized, officers found disturbing videos of him raping unconscious women, and pipettes and sedating drugs were discovered in his flat. One of the identified women was raped after Zou pushed her to drink excessive amounts of alcohol and would not let her leave his flat in Elephant and Castle in May 2023. She said in her victim impact statement: 'I have lost faith in human beings, I have no trust in others. Before this incident, I was not aware that a human could do such evil things. When I meet with strangers, I get flashbacks of what he did.' A second identified woman, who is now living in China, was also raped by Zou in his student flat near Russell Square in October 2021 when she was unconscious, the court heard. She said: 'I know words will never fully convey the depth of this wound. But one thing is certain, what happened that night is etched into my soul forever. 'His face, his expression – they will never leave me. I will never forgive him.' Scotland Yard said 24 women came forward following publicity in the media around Zou's trial to say they think they may have been attacked by him. Prosecutors say among them was a victim in China, known as Female D. In her statement, she wrote of being 'trapped in self-blame', 'gagged by shame' and being 'haunted' by nightmares of what happened. Commander Kevin Southworth, of the Metropolitan Police said: 'I hope the fact Zou can no longer harm others serves as a small amount of comfort to the women who have suffered immeasurably. 'I would also like to take this opportunity to stress that our investigation remains open and we continue to appeal to anyone who may think they have been a victim of Zou. 'Please come forward and speak with our team – we will treat you with empathy, kindness and respect.' Saira Pike, of the Crown Prosecution Service, said that Zou is a 'serial rapist and a danger to women'. She added: 'I'd like to take this opportunity to once again express my heartfelt thanks to the courageous women who came forward to report Zou's horrific crimes. 'They have been incredibly strong and brave – there is no doubt that their evidence helped us to secure his conviction, and the life sentence handed to him today.' Zou's case has chilling parallels with Reynhard Sinaga, 41, who was jailed for life in January 2020 at Manchester Crown Court after being found guilty of 159 counts of sexual offences against 48 different men. He also befriended his victims and invited them back to his flat, before drugging and sexually assaulting them. There was also the case of serial killer Stephen Port, who received a whole life term after raping and murdering four men with overdoses of the sedative drug GHB, and drugging and sexually assaulting seven others who survived.
