Chinese PhD Student Jailed for Life in UK for Raping 10 Women, Linked to Over 60 Suspected Victims

Zhenhao Zou, 28, was convicted of the harrowing attacks involving two women who have been identified and another eight who have yet to be traced

Zhenhao Zou, a 28-year-old Chinese PhD student at University College London, was sentenced to life imprisonment with a minimum of 22 years for drugging and raping 10 women in what police believe could be one of the most prolific sexual abuse cases in British history.

Zou, described by the judge as a "sexual predator" who hid behind a “charming mask,” used his position as a student and social presence in London to lure women to his luxury apartment, where he drugged, raped, and filmed them without their knowledge. Following his conviction in March, investigators uncovered over 1,600 hours of disturbing video footage, leading to evidence of at least 50 more suspected victims in the UK and China. Since then, an additional 24 women have come forward.

Zou - who is the son of a wealthy Chinese Communist Party member - raped women while recording footage on a hidden camera. Pictured is his Bumble dating profile

Zou’s crimes took place between 2019 and 2023 and involved victims in Britain, China, Australia, the Middle East, and Europe. At his sentencing at Inner London Crown Court, Judge Rosina Cottage rejected Zou’s offer of chemical castration and emphasized that he would always remain a threat due to his sexual obsession with controlling and overpowering women.

The court heard emotional testimony from multiple victims. One woman, assaulted in 2021, described waking in an unfamiliar room after blacking out: “I opened my eyes for a few seconds during the sexual assault. He was thrusting violently. I was completely powerless.” She said the memory of Zou’s face haunts her to this day and described weeks of isolation, fear, and trauma following the attack.

He described himself as a 28-year-old PhD researcher who 'works out often' – a fact he was keen to flaunt with topless mirror selfies

Zou had stalked student bars, dating apps, and student housing, targeting women with drinks laced with sedatives. He would lure them under false pretenses—offering academic help or inviting them to parties—before filming his assaults using hidden cameras. Many victims were so heavily drugged that they remained unconscious even as he slapped them during the attacks.

One woman reported that her mental health deteriorated significantly after the attack, leading to self-harm and deep emotional trauma. “I am in so much mental agony and pain. I am not sure anything will help what I have gone through,” she said in her impact statement.

Zou appears to have had little interest in his studies and spent more time obsessing over his looks and flaunting his wealth

The court learned that Zou hoarded trophies from his victims, including underwear, makeup, and jewelry. He falsely claimed in court that his victims were “pretending to be asleep” and likened his actions to “time-stop” pornography.

Zou is the son of a wealthy Chinese Communist Party official and was previously viewed as a promising academic. Detectives began their investigation in November 2023 after one woman reported being raped. Examination of his devices revealed a trove of hidden recordings and evidence.

Zou kept a 'lost property box' in his wardrobe full of women's belongings

Zou was convicted of 11 counts of rape, three counts of voyeurism, 10 counts of possessing extreme pornographic images, one count of false imprisonment, and three counts of possessing a controlled drug with intent to commit a sexual offence. The case drew comparisons to notorious UK sex offenders Reynhard Sinaga and John Worboys.

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.”

Zou targeted Chinese women, who he brought back to his flat

Jurors, many of whom were visibly shaken by the video evidence during the trial, returned to court to witness the sentencing. Zou, emotionless and wearing a navy suit and glasses, stared silently as the sentence was delivered.