Student 'sexual predator' drugged and filmed himself raping 10 unconscious women, court hears
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A student accused of being a “persistent sexual predator” allegedly filmed himself raping 10 unconscious women, a court has heard.
Zhenhao Zou, 27, a Chinese national studying for a PhD at University College London (UCL), is currently on trial at at Inner London Crown Court accused of drugging and raping 10 women.
The 27-year-old allegedly gave the women large quantities of drugs or alcohol to knock them out before attacking them.
He is also accused of taking intimate pornographic images of the women, and would keep them as “souvenirs”, jurors were told.
Zhenhao Zou, 27 is currently on trial at at Inner London Crown CourtPAHe is also accused of taking intimate pornographic images of the women, and would keep them as “souvenirs”, jurors were told.
Prosecutors said that the 27-year-old would watch the videos back for his “own private sexual gratification”.
He was arrested after one woman reported him to the Metropolitan Police who seized his camera and mobile phone, where they uncovered the videos.
Zou, who has been studying in the UK for the last seven years, denies all charges he is facing.
These include 11 counts of rape, three counts of voyeurism, 12 of possession of extreme pornography, one of false imprisonment and eight of possession of a controlled drug with intent to supply.
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The Chinese national is studying for a PhD at University College London (UCL)
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Outlining the prosecution's case, Catherine Farrelly KC said the accused was “a persistent sexual predator; a voyeur and a rapist”.
“To the outside world, he undoubtedly presents as a smart and charming young man,” Farrelly told the court.
“The prosecution's case at this trial is that he would meet women, he would stupefy them, either with drugs or with alcohol, and, once they were significantly under the influence of those drinks or drugs, he would then rape them.”
Police have identified two of the alleged victims but not the remaining eight, the court was told.
There are recordings relating to nine of the 10 alleged victims. The jury was told that two other recordings feature a male who cannot be identified.
In one video, Zou can be seen allegedly raping a woman, known as Female A, who said: “I really don’t want… I beg you, don’t do this.”
The prosecution says he responded: “Don’t push me, it’s pointless.”
PA
Farrelly said that the videos appeared to have been recorded “in a room which is similar to those at UCL student accommodation at Woburn Place, Bloomsbury”, where Zou lived between September 2019 and September 2020.
A woman first came forward with allegations against the defendant in May 2023. She said that the 27-year-old forbid her to leave and then raped her at his flat.
She dropped the allegations but later in February 2024, investigators found a social media post where she documented her experience.
The woman was later apparently approached by another woman who also said that she had been raped by Zao.
He was arrested by officers from Scotland Yard as a result, who seized his camera and phone where they uncovered the videos.
When his flat was searched, police also recovered drugs capable of “stupefying” a person.
This included MDMA or ecstasy, butanediol, ketamine and Xanax.
Zou sat in the dock wearing a navy blue suit, white shirt, and navy blue tie as the prosecution case opened.
The trial is set to last for four weeks.
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