Serial rapist PhD student Zhenhao Zou guilty of drugging and raping 10 women

A Chinese PhD student has been found guilty of drugging and raping 10 women.

The court heard Zhenhao Zou, 28, "presents as a smart and charming young man" but is "also a persistent sexual predator; a voyeur and a rapist". He was found to have attacked women in London and China between 2019 and 2023.

Giving evidence in his defence, Zou spoke through a Mandarin interpreter and told jurors that he watched "specialist timestop" pornography more than other genres. Prosecutors previously said Zou filmed nine of the alleged victims, footage of which was played in court.

Catherine Farrelly KC, prosecuting, told jurors: "The police reviewed over 700,000 artefacts which included 1,277 videos. The police found absolutely no trace whatsoever of such an interest (in timestop pornography) when they went through that material."

Asked by his lawyer Mark Cotter KC why that particular genre appealed to him, Zou said: "I like it because the girl appears to be still and quiet when they are having sex." Mr Cotter then asked Zou: "What about being asleep?" The student replied: "Yes, that's my favourite type. But I could not find that."

He was convicted today of the harrowing attacks involving two women who have been identified and another eight who have yet to be traced. He filmed nine of the attacks as "souvenirs", and kept a trophy box of women's belongings, jurors in his trial were told.

The student, who moved to Belfast in 2017 to study at Queen's University before coming to London in 2019 to do a master's degree and then a PhD at UCL, faced a total of 35 counts. He denied 11 counts of rape as well as three counts of voyeurism, 12 of possession of an extreme pornographic image, one of false imprisonment and eight of possession of a controlled drug with intent to commit a sexual offence.

During the four-week trial the court was told Zou lured young Chinese women back to his plush properties, plied them with a cocktail of drink and drugs before attacking them and filming it on hidden spy cameras. In one video shown to the jury, which reduced some to tears, a semi-conscious unknown woman begged Zou to stop raping her.

Giving evidence, one of the two female victims identified by police told the trial how she went out drinking with Zou in Chinatown, central London, in September 2021 after a meal with friends. She said her last memory was vomiting in the street and losing her bank cards, she then woke up to find Zou raping her.

Police believe Zou may have been responsible for around 50 more rapes and are appealing for women to come forward. The Met said he is "the most substantial and prolific offender that we've come across in recent times".

Detectives examined 1,270 separate videos along with nine million messages recovered from his devices to reveal at least 50 more victims. Detective Chief Inspector Richard McKenzie said: "To date we have not been able to make a public appeal for further victims - we are now asking anyone who thinks they have been a victim to come forward and speak to the police. Our message to potential victims is to please come forward and speak to us. We can offer support and signpost to external support so each victim can get the support they want and need."

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