Chinese student convicted: drug overdose and rape of 10 women

Von WOM

A Chinese doctoral student was found to be guilty in front of a court in London on Wednesday that he was stunned and raped ten women in England and China. The police warn that there may be more than 50 more victims.

condemnation and allegations

Zhenhao Zou, 28 years old, was convicted of the attacks between 2019 and 2023 after stood in front of the Inner London Crown Court for a month. He was convicted of rape in 11 cases, with two of the crimes related to a single victim.

The evidence

After over 19 hours of advice, the jury came to the conclusion that Zou three of the women in London and seven raped in China. So far, the police have only been able to identify two of the victims and, after the judgment, announced that more than 50 other women could have become zious. This would make him one of the worst sex offenders in the history of the United Kingdom.

The tactics of the perpetrator

zou used hidden or portable cameras to record the attacks and filmed nine of the deeds as "souvenir". He often kept a “trophy box” with personal objects of women.

the defense and the judgment

Zou, who studied mechanical engineering and did her doctorate at the University of College London, claimed that the sexual interactions were mutually acceptable. The judgment will be announced on June 19. The jury who were urgently asked during the process to regularly take breaks, were exposed to disturbing film material of the attacks.

report and laws

Judge Rosina Cottage described the accused as "dangerous and predatory sex offenders" and emphasized that his judgment would be "very long". Zou was also condemned in three cases of voyeurism, in ten cases of the property of extremely pornographic material, in one case of the false deprivation of liberty and in three other cases of possession of controlled substances with the intent to commit a sexual crime - especially BUTandiol.

The network of the perpetrator

Zou, who also appeared online as a Pakho, made friends with fellow students of Chinese origin about Wechat and dating apps before inviting them to drinks and put them under drugs in his apartments in London or in an unknown place in China.

appeal to other victims

"He did everything to incapacitates so that they could not defend themselves against his attack, and in many cases do not even remember what happened to them," said Kevin Southworth, commander of the Metropolitan Police. He thanked the two women who testified against the "particularly fig and sneaky" Zou, and explained that there was evidence that "he could possibly have attacked up to 50 other women in a similar way." The Metropolitan Police appeals to anyone who thinks they have been targeted by Zou.

translation and goodwill

In the course of the process, a call one of the women at the police led to questions about the quality of the interpreters provided. "It is very unfortunate that the victims did not receive the best possible translation at the time," added Southworth.

academic career

ZOU moved to Belfast, Northern Ireland in 2017 to study mechanical engineering at Queen’s University before moving to the UCL in 2019 and then began his doctorate.

solidarity with the victims

"Our thoughts are among the survivors and we want to appreciate the courage of the women who have reported these crimes and provided evidence in the process," said Dr. Michael Spence, President of the Ucl.