Zhenhao Zou, a Chinese PhD student, has been sentenced to life imprisonment with a minimum term of 24 years for raping three women in London and seven in China between 2019 and 2023. He drugged his victims, filmed nine of the rapes, and kept a 'trophy box' of their belongings. Police believe there could be dozens more victims, with 24 new potential victims coming forward since the trial.
Drug-rape PhD student Zhenhao Zou jailed for minimum of 24 years
LondonElephant and Castle
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TL;DR: Key points with love ❤️Zhenhao Zou, a Chinese PhD student, has been sentenced to life imprisonment with a minimum term of 24 years for raping three women in London and seven in China between 2019 and 2023. He drugged his victims, filmed nine of the rapes, and kept a 'trophy box' of their belongings. Police believe there could be dozens more victims, with 24 new potential victims coming forward since the trial.
Trending- 1 September 2019 - May 2023: Zhenhao Zou committed rapes in London and China.
- 2 October 2021: One identified woman was raped by Zou in his student flat near Russell Square.
- 3 Since the trial: 24 more potential victims have come forward.
- 4 Wednesday (June 19, 2025): Zhenhao Zou was sentenced to life with a minimum term of 24 years at Inner London Crown Court.
- Zhenhao Zou sentenced to life imprisonment with a minimum of 24 years
- Victims have suffered devastating and long-term psychological effects
- Ongoing police investigation to identify and support more potential victims
- Increased awareness of predatory behavior and the importance of reporting
What: Zhenhao Zou, a PhD student, was sentenced to life imprisonment for multiple drug-rapes.
When: Sentenced on Wednesday (June 19, 2025). The rapes occurred between September 2019 and May 2023. One identified rape occurred in October 2021. Since the trial, 24 more potential victims have come forward.
Where: London (specifically Elephant and Castle, Russell Square) and China.
Why: Zou systematically drugged and raped women, filmed the assaults, and collected 'trophy' items, driven by a 'sexual interest' in 'asserting power and control' over his victims.
How: Zou administered controlled drugs to his victims, prevented them from leaving, and filmed the assaults. He was convicted based on extensive evidence, including the videos and victim testimonies.