UCL releases statement after former student found guilty of raping and drugging 10 women

University College London (UCL) has released a statement after one its former students was found guilty of raping and drugging 10 women.

Zhenhao Zou was a PhD student studying mechanical engineering at the institution.

Along with 11 counts of rape against 10 women, he was also found guilty of three counts of voyeurism, 12 of possession of extreme pornographic images, one of false imprisonment, and eight of possession of drugs with intent to commit a sexual offence.

Zou committed the offences between 2019 and 2023, and so far only two of the victims have been identified. The offences are also believed to have occurred in both London and China.

Whilst Zou was only originally arrested for one rape, Metropolitan Police officers found SD cards and cameras with evidence of the other counts.

They also found “souvenirs” from his victims and drugs such as Butanediol which was used to “incapacitate” the women.

The drugs used to incapacitate his victims via Met Police

UCL’s president and provost, Dr Michael Spence, spoke on behalf of the university. In a statement, he 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.

Most Read

The hardest Russell group unis to get into, based on offer rate – and it’s not just Oxbridge

This video of Lacey from MAFS and her mum at the club has leaked and I don’t know how to feel

Um, leaks have confirmed which couples get married on Love Is Blind and I am NOT okay

“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.

“We have supported the Metropolitan Police with their enquiries throughout this investigation, and we would like to thank the Police and Crown Prosecution Service for ensuring the successful prosecution of these abhorrent crimes. Following the launch of the Police appeal, we urge anyone with information related to these crimes to contact the Police via this webpage, by emailing [email protected] or calling 101, if they are comfortable doing so.

“Anyone affected at UCL can report any incidents to us through our online reporting tool and access Crime Prevention and Personal Safety support on and off campus. We will also support members of our community with reporting an incident to the Police, if they wish to do so.”

Featured image: Supplied