Chinese student jailed for 24 years for raping women in UK and China

LONDON (Reuters) -A Chinese student convicted of drugging and raping 10 women in Britain and China was jailed on Thursday for 24 years in a London court.

Zhenhao Zou, 28, who lived in south London, used online platforms and dating apps to meet women, inviting them to his home under the pretext of having drinks or studying before he drugged them.

He then filmed himself raping and sexually assaulting the women while they were unconscious, keeping some of their jewellery and clothing afterwards.

Zou was found guilty in March of 28 offences, including 11 counts of rape, after a trial at Inner London Crown Court. At Thursday's sentencing he was jailed for life, with a minimum term of 24 years, minus time he had already spent in custody.

Judge Rosina Cottage said Zou was "a highly manipulative and intelligent young man who gave no thought at all of the wishes and feelings of the women" he attacked.

Detective Inspector Richard MacKenzie from London's Metropolitan Police said outside court: "The sheer scale of his offending, which spanned two countries, makes him one of the most prolific predators we have ever seen."

The police previously said detectives believe there may be more than 50 other women who may have been victims of Zou and have not yet been identified.

Originally from Dongguan in Guangdong Province, the student is thought to have moved to the United Kingdom in 2017 and began studying for a PhD at University College London in 2019.

After a woman came forward to report Zou, police said they found drugs and hidden cameras in his home, while hundreds of videos and millions of messages on his laptops and phones showed that he had committed offences not just in Britain but in his homeland.

(Reporting by Sam Tobin)