Zhenhao Zou, a 28-year-old PhD student from China studying at University College London, has been sentenced to life in prison after being convicted of raping and sexually assaulting at least ten women over four years. The assaults took place in both the UK and China between 2019 and 2023. The court ruled that Zou must serve a minimum of 24 years before he can be considered for release. His conviction has shocked many, not only because of the scale and brutality of his crimes but also because he lived a seemingly respectable life as an academic.
Zou moved to the UK in 2017 and began his doctoral research in mechanical engineering in 2019. Outwardly, he appeared focused and accomplished. However, the investigation revealed a deeply disturbing reality. He targeted mostly Chinese-speaking women, often fellow international students, by contacting them through social media and dating apps. Once he gained their trust, he would invite them to his flat, where he secretly drugged them with a chemical called butanediol, a substance that turns into the date-rape drug GHB once ingested. The women were rendered unconscious, after which Zou sexually assaulted them and recorded the attacks with hidden cameras placed around his apartment.
The case has been described by the Metropolitan Police as one of the most serious they have seen in years. Investigators recovered over a thousand videos, along with chemicals, hidden recording equipment, and personal items taken from the victims. Zou was convicted on 28 charges, including rape, voyeurism, drugging, and possession of extreme pornography.
