CNN
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Serial rapists convicted of raping 10 women in the UK and China have been jailed for life for a minimum of 24 years.
Zhenhao Zou, 28, was sentenced at Crown Court in London on Thursday. According to British PA media, Judge Rosina Cottage told him that he would serve 22 years and 227 days before he was eligible for parole, taking into account the time he spent remanded.
Zou was found guilty of three counts of robbery, including November of rape, one count of false imprisonment, three counts of wiretapping, and one count of robbery of three counts of robbery, including possession of controlled drugs with intent to commit a sexual offence, and many other crimes.
Prosecutors said many of his victims were vulnerable after being taken drugs saying they were “unconsciously vulnerable.”
Police and prosecutors said Zou, who used the name “Pakho” online, contacted students of WeChat and dating app Chinese Heritage, and invited drugs and assaults to their apartments in London and China. Police said he also took items from the victims, including jewelry and clothing.
The UK prosecutor’s office said Zou used his mobile device and hidden camera to film some of the attacks. “We manipulated and drugged women to make them prey in the most coronavirus ways,” police said.
Zou was a doctoral student at the University of London. He was arrested in January 2024 after one of his victims came to police.
Prosecutors in March said that “a brave woman who advanced to report Zhenhao Zou’s heinous crime” was “incredibly strong and brave” and there was something “unquestionable” that their evidence led to his beliefs.
Ivana Kottasová contributed to this report.
