Convicted rapist, Zhenhao Zou. Credit score: Metropolitan Police
A Chinese language PhD scholar who drugged and raped at the very least 10 ladies throughout London and China has been sentenced to life in jail with a minimal time period of 24 years, following a harrowing trial that uncovered the dimensions of his abuse.
Zhenhao Zou, 28, was convicted at Interior London Crown Courtroom on Thursday, June 19, of rape, alongside a number of prices together with voyeurism, false imprisonment, and possession of sedative medicine with intent to commit sexual offences. His sentencing follows a month-long trial which uncovered surprising footage of the assaults, with Metropolitan Police stating they worry as many as 24 extra ladies might have been focused.
Zhenhao Zou asks for chemical castration
The courtroom heard how Zou, who had studied at Queen’s College Belfast and later at College Faculty London, lured fellow Chinese language college students by way of WeChat and courting apps earlier than drugging and raping them in his flats in London or at unknown places in China.
Zou, described by prosecutors as “a persistent sexual predator, a voyeur and a rapist”, had provided to be chemically castrated in an try to scale back his sentence. However this was dismissed as a result of severity of hurt prompted to his victims.
Zhenhao Zou’s victims haunted by trauma and worry
Three of Zou’s ten victims have been recognized, and their devastating sufferer affect statements have been learn out in courtroom. One girl, raped in Might 2023 at his Elephant and Fortress flat, wrote:
“I’ve misplaced religion in human beings, I’ve no belief in others… Once I meet with strangers, I get flashbacks of what he did.”
She additionally expressed deep worry of Zou’s “very highly effective” household in China.
One other sufferer, who was raped whereas unconscious in October 2021 in Russell Sq., acknowledged: “I opened my eyes for just a few seconds throughout the sexual assault… I used to be utterly powerless… His face, his expression – they may by no means go away me. I’ll by no means forgive him.”
A 3rd girl, generally known as Feminine D, mentioned she was “trapped in self-blame” and “gagged by disgrace”, including she was “haunted” by nightmares. (Cited by LBC.)
Police launched an investigation after a girl got here ahead in November 2023. Although her case lacked enough proof, the contents of Zou’s seized cellphone revealed a trophy field, recordings of the rapes, and traces of the sedative drug butanediol in his flat.
Following media protection of the trial, greater than 20 ladies got here ahead to say they believed they could even have been victims of Zou. Prosecutors revealed that solely three victims have been formally recognized, however worry the true quantity is way increased.
Zou, who lived a lavish way of life because of his rich background – together with a Rolex, designer garments, and beauty surgical procedure – was hiding behind the picture of a “good and charming younger man,” prosecutors mentioned.
The dimensions and brutality of the case have shocked communities in each the UK and China. Regardless of Zou’s life sentence, many are questioning how he was capable of evade suspicion for thus lengthy – particularly given the amount of disturbing proof finally uncovered.
Chemical castration
Zou’s provide of chemical castration has reignited debate over whether or not it must be a part of sentencing for violent intercourse offenders. The method includes hormone-altering medicine to scale back libido, and is already used voluntarily in some international locations akin to Indonesia and Pakistan.
Ought to a rapist have the ability to negotiate down a life sentence by providing up his libido? Or is the very suggestion an insult to victims who will stay with their trauma eternally?
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