Zou Zhenhao, a 28-year-old Chinese PhD student, was sentenced to life imprisonment with a minimum term of 24 years on 19 Jun 2025 at Inner London Crown Court.
The mechanical engineering student drugged and raped 10 women across England and China between September 2019 and May 2023.
Serial Rapist Zou Zhenhao Gets Life Sentence for Targeting Women Across Two Countries
Zou was found guilty of 28 offences on 5 Mar 2025. These included 11 counts of rape, with two offences relating to one victim.
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He also faced three counts of voyeurism, 10 charges of possession of extreme pornographic images, one count of false imprisonment and three counts of possession of controlled drugs with intent to commit sexual offences.
Judge Rosina Cottage told Zou during sentencing that he appeared to the world as a “well-to-do, ambitious and charming” man but was actually a “sexual predator” hiding behind a mask.
She described him as having a “sexual interest” in “asserting power and control over women” and treating his victims as “pieces in an elaborate game”.
She said he was “a highly manipulative and intelligent young man” but had “no understanding of the meaning of consent”. She added there was “a high level of danger because of your distorted thinking” and that he posed “a risk for an indefinite period”.
Chinese Student’s Predatory Methods
Originally from Dongguan in Guangdong Province, Zou moved to Belfast in 2017 to study at Queen’s University. He later relocated to London to pursue a master’s degree and then a PhD at University College London.
Zou used the online name “Pakho” and targeted students of Chinese heritage through WeChat and dating apps. He would invite women to his apartments in south London or an unknown location in China under the pretext of having drinks or studying together.
Metropolitan Police Commander Kevin Southworth said Zou did “all that he can” to “incapacitate his victims to the point where they could not resist his attack”. In many instances, victims could not remember what had happened to them.
The predator secretly filmed nine of his attacks using hidden cameras and handheld devices. Police discovered hidden cameras in his bedroom and found nearly 1,300 videos during their investigation. Zou kept these recordings as “souvenirs” alongside a “trophy box” containing women’s jewellery and clothing.
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Zou claimed during his trial that all sexual encounters were consensual. He told the court he enjoyed “rape role play” and pornography involving sleeping women, saying “I like it because the girl appears to be still and quiet when they are having sex”.
Zou came from a wealthy family and owned a Rolex watch and designer clothes. He had undergone cosmetic procedures including hair transplants and facial surgery. He lived in a student flat near Russell Square in London.
Police Investigation Reveals Extensive Scale of Offending
The investigation began after one woman came forward to report the crimes. Police then discovered drugs and hidden cameras in Zou’s home. Analysis of his laptops and phones revealed hundreds of videos and millions of messages, proving he had committed offences in both Britain and China.
Detective Inspector Richard MacKenzie from London’s Metropolitan Police said outside court that “the sheer scale of his offending, which spanned two countries, makes him one of the most prolific predators we have ever seen”.
The Metropolitan Police warned there could be more than 50 other victims, which would make him one of the worst sex offenders in UK history. Since the trial concluded, 24 additional women have come forward.
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One victim shared that Zou pushed her to drink excessive amounts of alcohol and would not allow her to leave his flat. In her victim impact statement, she wrote that the attack had “deeply affected” her personality and that she had “lost faith in human beings”.
She said she had “no trust in others” and was previously unaware “that a human could do such evil things”.
Another victim who was unconscious when Zou raped her in October 2021 said “His face, his expression – they will never leave me. I will never forgive him”.
Judge Cottage told Zou during sentencing: “You told [the victims] that resistance was futile. Sometimes you would be begged to stop. You sought power over them- these women you treated callously- and used them as sex toys for your pleasure.”
Prosecutor Saira Pike said after the sentencing: “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.”
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The 24-year minimum term was reduced by time Zou had already spent in custody.
Would you be jailed for being half-naked in public? Well, the answer will shock you. Seriously. Watch this to the end and you'll understand:
