Watch: The moment Zou was arrested by Police at Elephant and Castle flat. Video by Met Police
The former UCL student convicted of 11 counts of rape may have raped as many as 50 more women, detectives said.
Zhenhao Zou, 28, was yesterday found guilty of 28 offences, including 11 counts of rape on ten women between September 2019 and May 2023 while studying mechanical engineering at UCL.
However, detectives fear the Chinese international student may have raped as many as 50 more women, as many victims remain unidentified.
Met Police commander Kevin Southworth told the BBC: “This man may well turn out to be one of the most prolific sexual predators that we’ve ever seen in this country”.
Police found 1,270 videos, including at least 50 believed to contain more instances of rape. The court previously heard Zou kept the footage of his attacks as “souvenirs” for his own gratification.
Detectives also found a wardrobe stocked with alcohol and drugs, including an industrial chemical that turns into the “date rape” drug GHB when ingested.
Commander Southworth added: “Such is the insidious nature of this offending, I think there is a possibility that many more victim survivors may not even know that he has raped them.”
Zou was additionally convicted of ten counts of possession of extreme pornography, three of possession of a drug with intent to commit a sexual offence, three counts of voyeurism, and one count of false imprisonment.
Judge Rosina Cottage described the PhD student as “dangerous and predatory” and warned he will spent a “very long” time in jail when he is sentenced on 19 June.
Just two of the eight victim-survivors have been found, but extensive footage of the attacks allowed prosecutors to charge him with multiple assaults on women in both the UK and China, including those who are yet to be identified.
Police have now launched an appeal for further victims. If you have information related to these crimes, please contact survivors@met.police.uk, call 101, or visit the dedicated webpage.
Sabbatical Officers at Students’ Union UCL said: “We have been profoundly shaken by these abhorrent crimes. We want to acknowledge the strength and bravery shown by the survivors who came forward, they revisited past trauma to make their voices heard – first to the police, then in court. Their courage has led to this conviction.”
UCL President & Provost Dr Michael Spence said: “We have been appalled by these horrific offences. Our thoughts are with the survivors and we wish to pay tribute to the bravery of the women who reported these crimes and gave evidence at the trial.
“The prevalence of sexual harassment, violence and abuse in society is extremely alarming and causes immense harm to victims, their families and wider communities. This case is particularly distressing and our focus is providing support for our students, alumni and staff through a range of services.
“These include 24/7 access to confidential support lines and access to mental health professionals including trained counsellors and psychologists. We also provide support through our partnerships with specialist organisations like Rape Crisis. We are here to support anyone at UCL who has been impacted by this case, directly or indirectly.”
If you have been affected by any of the issues in this report, support is available.
- Contact Rape Crisis England & Wales for confidential 24/7 support for survivors of sexual violence at 0808 500 2222 or visit www.rapecrisis.org.uk.
- Contact Victim Support for free 24/7 help with emotional and practical support for anyone affected by crime at 0808 168 9111 or visit www.victimsupport.org.uk.
- Contact Samaritans for 24/7 emotional support for anyone in distress or struggling with mental health at 116 123 or visit www.samaritans.org.
