Chinese Ph.D. student sentenced to at least 24 years in prison for raping multiple women

LONDON — A British justice connected Thursday sentenced a Chinese Ph.D. pupil to a minimum of 24 years successful situation for drugging and raping 10 women successful England and China.

Zhenhao Zou, 28, was convicted of the attacks, which took spot from 2019 to 2023, during a four-week proceedings earlier this twelvemonth astatine Inner London Crown Court.

Judge Rosina Cottage connected Thursday described Zou arsenic a “very agleam young man” who utilized a manipulative “charming mask” to fell that helium is simply a “sexual predator.”

Zou was studying for a Ph.D. successful mechanical engineering astatine University College London successful 2023 erstwhile the archetypal pistillate came guardant to allege that helium had raped her. As portion of the investigation, constabulary seized Zou’s phone, connected which they recovered videos of him raping unconscious women. A hunt of his flat successful southbound London turned up sedatives and signaling equipment.

Zhenhao Zou.Metropolitan Police / AFP via Getty Images

The probe into Zou’s crimes continues, and astatine slightest 24 women person travel guardant with caller allegations arsenic a effect of the publicity surrounding his trial, London’s Metropolitan Police Service said. Taken together, the cases would marque him 1 of the worst enactment offenders successful U.K. history.

Zou, who besides utilized the sanction Pakho online, befriended chap students of Chinese practice connected dating apps and WeChat, earlier inviting them for drinks and drugging them astatine his apartments successful London oregon an chartless determination successful China.

Using hidden oregon handheld cameras, Zou filmed 9 of the attacks arsenic “souvenirs,” and helium kept a “trophy box” of his victims’ belongings, according to grounds presented astatine trial.

Zou, who claimed the encounters were consensual, was besides convicted of 3 counts of voyeurism, 10 of possessing an utmost pornographic image, 1 of mendacious imprisonment and 3 of possessing a controlled cause with intent to perpetrate a intersexual offense.

He was handed a beingness condemnation and indispensable service a minimum of 24 years successful prison.

Prosecutor Saira Pike praised the victims who came guardant to study Zou’s “horrific crimes.”

“They person been incredibly beardown and brave,” Pike said. “There is nary uncertainty that their grounds helped america to unafraid his conviction, and the beingness condemnation handed to him today.”