UCL student found guilty of drugging and raping 10 women

TW: Rape, drugs

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

Zhenhao Zou, 28, a Chinese PhD student filmed a himself assaulting nine of his victims, eight of whom have not been identified.

Inner London Crown Court heard how he kept the footage as “souvenirs” alongside some of the women’s belongings.

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

Zou was found not guilty for two further counts of possession of an extreme pornographic image and one of possession of MDMA with intent to commit a sexual offence.

The jury also didn’t reach a decision for four counts of possession of drugs with intent to commit a sexual offence.

According to Sky News, the 28-year-old “had no visible reaction” when the verdicts were read out.

Earlier in the trial, Zou had told the jury how he liked “rape role play”, and claimed this was how the videos came to be made.

When asked why the women appeared to be sleeping, he said: “Because I have this kind of preferences. I have sex with them when they seem to be asleep.”

Two of his victims came forward and presented evidence for the case.

In a witness statement, PC Tijani said one of the women who came forward went for drinks with a man who “encouraged her to drink more” at a previous party.

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BBC News reported that the statement added that the woman went back to Zou’s flat, where she felt “uncomfortable” and tried to leave, however Zou dragged her by her clothes back towards his bedroom, then made her drink vodka.

She told the court: “He forced me to stay at his place that night after a great amount of alcohol. My emotion was not stable. So under the extreme loss of my emotional control, an agreement we had was either you let me go or give me money so that I can stay.”

The victim also confirmed she did not give Zou consent to have sex with her, saying: “He raped me.”

‘Souvenirs’ kept by Zou via Met Police

His drug use was also discussed in court after the police found drugs at his home.

Two bottles of Butanediol had been purchased online with the defendant saying he used them to get high in nightclubs.

According to the BBC, he said he put it into drinks and drank them himself so he could feel “happier in parties”.

However, in a police statement from 2023, he said: “The two bottles in my room were bought in July 2023 and the substance is Butanediol which I use for moisturising my face and body.

“The bottles are sealed because I had not used it yet as I had not finished my moisturiser.”

In court, he later claimed he did not use the drugs for moisturising.

Saira Pike, of the Crown Prosecution Service, said: “I’d like to express my heartfelt thanks to the courageous women who came forward to report Zhenhao Zou’s heinous crimes. They have been incredibly strong and brave – there is no doubt that their evidence helped us to secure today’s verdict.

“Zou is a serial rapist and a danger to women.

“Being part of the prosecution team on this case has been incredibly challenging, having to review the evidence and see what he did to women, many of whom were unconscious and rendered defenceless by the drugs he had given them.

“The prosecution team has worked with the police for over a year to pick apart an unprecedented amount of footage and web chats showing his meticulous planning and the horrifying execution of his crimes.

“In some instances, we have not been able to identify Zou’s victims. Without knowing who these women are, we have not been able to support them through a deeply distressing period of time.

“We have always been determined to seek justice for both the unidentified and identified victims in this case. We used an evidence-led approach that relied on the video recordings of Zou to ensure this dangerous predator faced justice.

“I am pleased that the jury has found Zou guilty of all 11 rape charges we brought against him. There is no doubt in my mind that if he had not been caught, he would still be carrying out his terrifying attacks on women today.”

UCL’s President and 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.

“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 via Met Police