Zhenhao Zou convicted of drugging and raping women in London and China, possibly victimizing up to 50 individuals.
He filmed nine attacks as “souvenirs” and kept women’s belongings in a trophy box. The judge called him a dangerous sexual predator. He might face a very long prison sentence soon, as his sentencing is set for June 19th.
Police suspect over 50 more victims exist, potentially making him one of UK’s worst sex offenders. They discovered many disturbing videos and pictures, with about half likely filmed in the UK and the other half likely in China.
Zou lived in Elephant and Castle in London. He was convicted of raping women in both London and China. These crimes happened between 2019 and 2023. He was found guilty of eleven rape counts, with two offenses involving one victim.
Zou also got convicted of voyeurism and possessing extreme pornographic images. He was guilty of false imprisonment and possessed drugs, including Butanediol, to commit sexual offenses.
He was cleared of some charges, though. These charges involved extreme porn and other drugs like MDMA, ketamine, and alprazolam. Prosecutors called him a “persistent sexual predator,” stating he seemed smart and charming.
Zou comes from a rich family. He owned a Rolex watch and had designer clothes filling his wardrobe. He had hair transplants and facial surgery, having paid thousands in rent payments.
A prosecutor praised the two victims who testified, stating Zou is a danger to women. Another potential victim contacted police recently after Zou’s trial got publicity.
The jury watched footage of nine rapes and seemed upset, needing breaks. Zou used “Pakho” online and befriended Chinese students on WeChat and dating apps. He invited them for drinks and drugged them.
He moved to Belfast in 2017 to study engineering then moved to London in 2019 and pursued degrees at UCL. Detectives charged Zou in January 2024, waiting to appeal for victims until his conviction.
He faced 35 charges in August last year, as his crimes were uncovered in November 2023. A woman reported an attack by Zou, but there wasn’t enough evidence for a charge then. However, police found disturbing videos on Zou’s phone, showing him raping unconscious women. They also found drugs in his apartment.
One victim stated Zou forced her to drink too much alcohol and that she couldn’t leave his apartment. Zou raped her in Elephant and Castle. Another victim in China said Zou raped her while she was unconscious in his London apartment.
The jury did not believe Zou’s claims that the sex was consensual and that women took drugs willingly. He also claimed some footage was role-playing, claiming he liked filming sexual activity and enjoyed pornography with unconscious women.
One disturbing video showed an attack where the victim told Zou to stop and struggled to stay awake. He said the apartment had “very good” soundproofing. He was also convicted of rapes in China. Foreign nationals can be charged in the UK if the crime is also illegal where it took place.
This case is