Source: United Kingdom London Metropolitan Police
Met detectives appeal for victim-survivors to come forward after serial rapist convicted
A serial rapist – who drugged and raped a number of women both in the UK and China – has been convicted, following one of the most complex investigations carried out by detectives in the Met.
Zhenhao Zou, 28 (20.02.97), of Churchyard Row, Elephant and Castle, was today (Wednesday, 5 March) found guilty of a total of 28 offences, including 11 counts of rape against 10 different women.
A jury found Zou guilty after a five-and-a-half-week trial at Inner London Crown Court. He will be sentenced at the same court on Thursday, 19 June.
Following the conclusion of today’s court proceedings, detectives can now share they believe the scale of Zou’s offending may be much wider and are making a direct appeal for any victim-survivors who have not yet been identified to come forward and seek specialist support.
While detectives have identified two victim-survivors, eight of the women who Zou was convicted of raping remain unidentified. Beyond this, detectives believe there may be more than 50 other women who may have been a victim and have not yet been identified by police.
The investigation
Zou is originally from Dongguan in the Guangdong Province of China and is believed to have lived in the UK since 2017.
Before his arrest in January 2024, Zou was a student at University College London (UCL) since 2019 and prior to that studied at Queen’s University Belfast.
Zou met women using online platforms and dating apps, inviting them to his home under the guise of studying or to have drinks. Officers have established that he invited women back to his address – one in central London and another in Elephant and Castle.
Once inside he would offer them a drink which contained a substance – believed to be butanediol, which converts to GHB once in the human body.
This would leave the victim-survivors drifting in and out of consciousness. While unconscious, he filmed himself as he raped and sexually assaulted them.
Zou also kept items from victim-survivors, such as jewellery and clothing.
After a woman came forward to report Zou, police searched his home and found the drugs butanediol and ketamine, as well as a number of hidden cameras. They also seized a number of laptops and mobile phones, which later uncovered the true scale of Zou’s offending.
Officers downloaded the digital devices amounting to six and a half trillion bytes of data, which included around nine million WeChat messages.
Met investigators spent months trawling through messages to understand Zou’s pattern of offending, painstakingly translating them into English from Simplified Chinese.
They also watched hundreds of videos stored on his devices, which appear to show Zou filming himself raping and sexually assaulting women. It was after analysis of this graphic and disturbing material that it became apparent that he had not only committed offences in London, but also in his home country of China too.
During the trial, officers were assisted by the Chinese Ministry of Public Security, who helped to facilitate one of the brave victim-survivors giving evidence against Zou.
As part of the investigation, the Met has also been supported by the Crown Prosecution Service, National Crime Agency and Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office.
The appeal
To protect the integrity of ongoing legal proceedings after Zou was first charged with offences, detectives have not been able to publicly appeal for further potential victim-survivors until this time.
The Metropolitan Police is now asking anyone who thinks they may have been a victim to come forward and speak with police.
Specialist officers work closely with victim-survivors to seek justice and are available to offer support and signpost to external partners, so they can get help.
Officers are keeping an open mind about the identities of unidentified victim-survivors, but are particularly keen to hear from women from the Chinese student community who may have met Zou and were living in and around London between 2019-2024. They also would like to speak to potential victims-survivors who may have met Zou while he was living in China.
Women may have met Zou via online platforms, including student forums on the Chinese social media apps WeChat or Little Red Book, or may have spoken to him on dating apps, such as Bumble.
Victim-survivors may have visited Zou at his accommodation in Woburn Place in central London or his address in Churchyard Row in Elephant and Castle in London. Others may have met Zou when he was living in China.
Due to the nature of Zou’s offending, detectives believe that some women may not know they have been a victim-survivor and do not underestimate how distressing and difficult it may be to read or hear about his crimes following this verdict. They are reassuring potential victim-survivors that any reports will be fully investigated and dealt with the utmost sensitivity, care and compassion.
Officers also understand that not every victim-survivor may wish to speak with the police to get support. Therefore, the charity Rape Crisis is also offering support for women to seek help and guidance from advisors who are independent to the police.
As part of their appeal, detectives are also keen to speak to any witnesses who might have helpful information, in particular anyone who might have met Zou at parties or spoke to him on social media apps and has any concerns.
Commander Kevin Southworth, lead for public protection at the Metropolitan Police, said: “Zhenhao Zou is a dangerous and prolific sexual predator, who manipulated and drugged women in order to prey on them in the most cowardly way.
“I’d like to acknowledge the two women who bravely gave evidence against Zou in court – their courage and resilience has been unwavering.
“We are determined to support all victim-survivors and are now asking women who believe they may have concerns about Zou to please come forward. I want to reassure anyone impacted that you are not alone and can seek specialist support and guidance, not only from the police, but also from independent charities and services.
“I would also like to take this opportunity to thank the investigation team, who have shown professionalism, compassion and determination in their pursuit for justice.”
The Met recognises the impact that this horrific case will have on Londoners, in particular Chinese students who may have lived in and around Southwark and Lambeth. Officers continue to liaise with partners to ensure anyone with concerns can access advice and specialist support from local police teams.
How to contact the police and independent support agencies:
Reports relating to Zhenhao Zou can be made online via the Major Incident Public Portal (MIPP): https://mipp.police.uk/operation/01MPS25X38-PO1. The MIPP is also available in Simplified Chinese (https://mipp.police.uk/operation/01MPS25X38-PO2 ), so it is as accessible as possible for potential victims and survivors.
If you wish to speak to Met detectives or make a report relating to Zou, you can also contact police via email on survivors@met.police.uk
You can also make a report to police by calling 101 from within the UK, quoting reference 2904/04FEB25.
If you live in England or Wales and have been affected by this case and would like to seek support from specialist agencies, please contact the independent charity Rape Crisis via their 24/7 Rape and Sexual Abuse Support Line or call them on 0808 500 2222. Specially trained staff are there to listen, answer questions and offer emotional support.
Background
- Please consult ‘Document 1’ for a full breakdown of offences, including information relating to locations of offences
- Please consult ‘Document 2’ for a timeline of offences
Tackling Violence against Women and Girls
- In 2023, the Met launched its new Violence against Women and Girls (VAWG) Action Plan, working with women and girls across London to shape a new approach to keep them safe.
- The Met has transformed the way it investigates rape and serious sexual offences. Under Operation Soteria, the Met is doing more to put victim-survivors at the heart of its response to these crimes.
- As part of its commitment to tackling violence against women and girls, caused largely at the hands of predatory men, officers are placing more focus on suspects and offering support to those impacted alongside specialist partners.
- Since 2021, the Met has more than doubled its charge rate for rape.