Latest news with #MetropolitanPoliceService
NBC News
12 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.'
Global News
a day ago
- Global News
PhD student handed life sentence after raping women in England, China
NOTE: The following article contains disturbing details and video footage. Please read at your own discretion. A British judge sentenced Chinese PhD student Zhenhao Zou to life with a minimum of 24 years in prison for drugging and raping 10 women in England and China. Zou, 28, was convicted of the attacks, which took place between 2019 and 2023, during a four-week trial earlier this year at Inner London Crown Court. Judge Rosina Cottage on Thursday described Zou as 'very bright young man' who used a manipulative, 'charming mask' to hide that he is a 'sexual predator.' Cottage told Zou he would serve 22 years and 227 days before he was eligible for parole, according to the London's Metropolitan Police Service. A jury found him guilty of 28 offences in total, including counts of voyeurism, possession of an extreme pornographic image, possession of a drug to commit a sexual offence and false imprisonment. Story continues below advertisement 'The lengthy sentence reflects justice for the women who are victim-survivors of Zou and is testament to the extraordinary lengths gone to by investigators, who left no stone unturned in their pursuit to take a dangerous sexual predator off the streets,' Metropolitan Police Service said in a statement. Zou, who claimed the encounters were consensual, was studying for a PhD 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. Get daily National news Get the day's top news, political, economic, and current affairs headlines, delivered to your inbox once a day. Sign up for daily National newsletter Sign Up By providing your email address, you have read and agree to Global News' Terms and Conditions and Privacy Policy Investigators watched hundreds of videos as they built the case of evidence against Zou, which led to the conclusion that he had not only committed offences in London but also in China, according to police. Police are still investigating Zou's crimes and at least 24 women have come forward with new allegations as a result of the publicity surrounding his trial. Following a challenging and complex investigation, serial rapist Zhenhao Zou has been sentenced to life for drugging and raping 10 women. Our thoughts are with the courageous victim-survivors of Zou's heinous and predatory crimes. — Metropolitan Police (@metpoliceuk) June 19, 2025 Story continues below advertisement 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. According to evidence presented at trial, Zou filmed nine of the attacks as 'souvenirs' using hidden or handheld cameras and kept a 'trophy box' of his victims' belongings. 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.' Pike referred to Zou as 'a serial rapist' and 'a danger to women.' 'We have always been determined to seek justice for both the unidentified and identified victims in this case. We used an evidence-led approach that relied on the video recordings of Zou to ensure this dangerous predator faced justice,' Pike added. 'The prosecution team worked with the police for over a year to pick apart an unprecedented amount of footage and web chats showing his meticulous planning and the horrifying execution of his crimes,' she said. Commander of the Metropolitan Police Service, Kevin Southworth, said that his thoughts 'have always been with the courageous victim-survivors of Zou's heinous and predatory crimes.' Story continues below advertisement 'Thanks to the remarkable efforts of our officers and prosecutors, a dangerous and cowardly offender has been handed a life sentence. I hope the fact Zou can no longer harm others serves as a small amount of comfort to the women who have suffered immeasurably,' Southworth added. He said that he wanted to 'stress that our investigation remains open' and police are continuing to 'appeal to anyone 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,' Southworth added. Police encourage anyone with information about potential crimes relating to Zou to report them online or contact police via phone or email. —With files from The Associated Press
Los Angeles Times
a day ago
- Los Angeles Times
A Chinese Ph.D. student is 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 between 2019 and 2023, during a four-week trial earlier this year at Inner London Crown Court. Judge Rosina Cottage on Thursday described Zou as '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 offence. 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.' Kirka writes for the Associated Press.
Winnipeg Free Press
a day ago
- Winnipeg Free Press
A Chinese Ph.D. student is sentenced to at least 24 years in prison for raping multiple women
LONDON (AP) — 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 between 2019 and 2023, during a four-week trial earlier this year at Inner London Crown Court. Judge Rosina Cottage on Thursday described Zou as '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 offence. 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.'
The Herald Scotland
7 days ago
- Entertainment
- The Herald Scotland
Video captures 'Bridgerton' actor thwarting would-be phone thief
Security footage shows the English performer sitting on Feb. 8 as a man grabs her device from her table while she's looking away. As he walks away, she quickly notices and does not hesitate to stop him. With the help of a bystander, Chenneour kicks and pushes the man to the ground, takes her phone back and appears to strike him with it. "I had a bit of a sixth sense that something wasn't quite right. As a woman, you have that kind of intuition," Chenneour said in an interview on the "This Morning" talk show. "I could feel people moving around me in a different way, but I only became aware of it once the incident had happened." Chenneour she believes the man had spent time picking the perfect target, which she quickly proved wasn't her. She explained that she remembers kicking him back with her leg to create distance in case he had a weapon on him. Looking back she understands that not everyone would have fought back, but said she instinctually opted to because of her experiences as a boxer and growing up with three brothers. "I thought that was a normal reaction, and then I read all the comments and realized actually a lot of people would just let them take the phone," she said. "It was just a life changing, crazy moment." Chenneour said she felt scared to leave home after incident While Chenneour managed to leave the business with her phone, she said the experience impacted her anxiety, making her more fearful to leave her home. "As a woman, we already have our wits about us around strangers and random men. So to have this happen to me while dealing with that probably base level that a lot of women have just made me quite agoraphobic," she said. She added that the experience opened up many conversations that made her more aware of how many people are afraid of being out in public. London's Metropolitan Police Service arrested an 18-year-old man who is set to be sentenced over theft and assault charges on June 17, according to BBC. Who is Genevieve Chenneour? Chenneour is 27-year-old English actor best known for her role in Netflix's "Bridgerton." In Season 3 of the hit romance show she plays Clara Livingston, a debutante at the start of the 1815 season. She is a former professional athlete who grew up in a military family, according to her IMDb page. She has prior experiences in dance, swimming and gymnastics and said she is a carded member of the American Boxing Association.
