Drug-rape PhD student Zhenhao Zou jailed for minimum of 24 years

Drug-rape PhD student Zhenhao Zou jailed for minimum of 24 years

In January 2024, Zhenhao Zou, a PhD student, was sentenced to life in prison with a minimum term of 24 years for raping and drugging women in both London and China. The Chinese national committed these heinous acts between September 2019 and May 2023, targeting a total of 10 women. Shockingly, Zou had a trophy box containing belongings of the women he assaulted, and he even recorded nine of the rapes as the victims lost consciousness.

Out of the 10 victims, only three have been identified by prosecutors, yet Metropolitan Police detectives fear that Zou may have targeted many more women. Since the trial, an additional 24 potential victims have come forward. During sentencing at Inner London Crown Court, Judge Rosina Cottage KC condemned Zou, calling him a “sexual predator” who orchestrated a deliberate campaign of rape. She highlighted how he treated the women as “sex toys” for his own pleasure, showing a complete lack of understanding of consent.

Judge Cottage emphasized that Zou demonstrated a skewed desire for power and control over women and described the victims as pawns in a twisted game orchestrated by the defendant. Zou’s manipulative nature and distorted thinking were factors that led to his high danger level, with the judge asserting that he posed a risk for an indefinite period. The court watched videos of the rapes during the trial, an experience that was described as “extremely distressing,” prompting some viewers to weep at the horrific nature of the crimes.

In the aftermath of Zou’s sentencing, the Metropolitan Police labeled him as one of the most prolific predators they had ever encountered. Despite the closure brought by Zou’s imprisonment, they urged anyone who believes they may have been a victim to come forward and speak with their team. The Crown Prosecution Service echoed these sentiments, calling Zou a “serial rapist and a danger to women” and expressing gratitude to the courageous women who came forward to report his crimes

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