28-year-old PhD student at prestigious university sentenced to life in prison for allegedly hurting up to 60 women

No one could have expected this. Meanwhile, it has come to light that Zhenhao Zou, a PhD student in mechanical engineering at University College London (UCL), was living a double life. While normally associated with the world of science, in reality he turned out to be one of the most brutal sex offenders that the UK has seen in recent years. The man was initially accused of raping ten women, but the investigation revealed that the number of victims could be much higher.

Zou met his victims through social media and dating apps. Most of them were young women, mostly Chinese. He was considered charming and well-educated, which inspired trust. But over time, his true colors would come out. Once he had established contact with a chosen person, he would commit rapes, which he would then record—using hidden or portable cameras.

The crimes occurred in both the UK and China. Between September 2019 and May 2023, Zou raped three women in London and seven in China. Police seized evidence that suggested he may have raped as many as 50 other women. After his conviction, 24 more women came forward.

Testimony and evidence revealed the brutality of Zou's actions. In addition to the recordings, he also kept personal items from victims as "souvenirs." He was also charged with illegally imprisoning women and drugging them . In total, the court found him guilty of 28 crimes, including possession of graphic pornography.

The court had no doubts about the doctoral student's guilt. Zhenhao Zou was sentenced to life in prison with the possibility of parole after 24 years. The man tried to get a lenient sentence by offering to undergo chemical castration, but the offer was unequivocally rejected.

“The scale of his crimes, which spanned two countries, makes him one of the most notorious sexual predators we have ever seen,” said Detective Inspector Richard McKanzie of the Metropolitan Police.

Judge Rossina Cottage had harsh words for the accused. “You treated your victims callously, like sex toys,” she said. She also described the rape videos as “graphic and painful to watch.” “Some people cried when they watched them,” she said.

Zhenhao Zou's case is still under investigation. Police encourage any women who may have been victims of the doctoral student to contact officers. "They will be treated with understanding and respect," investigators assure.

Source: PAP / Reuters / BBC / Metropolitan Police

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Zhenhao Zou was found guilty of numerous rapes, recording crimes, and imprisoning women.

A London court has handed down a life sentence to a 28-year-old PhD student at one of Britain's top universities.