Law&Crime Sidebar - Rape Videos Link PhD Student to Vicious Attacks

Episode Date: April 8, 2025

Doctoral student Zhenhao Zou, 28, is now a convicted rapist following a horrific trial in London. Prosecutors say Zou met women on dating apps in both China and the UK, lured them back to his residence, then drugged and raped them. Investigators found dozens of videos of the rapes in question on hard drives and SD cards. Law & Crime’s Jesse Weber analyzes the evidence against Zou that is expected to put him away for decades with UK litigator Nick Brett.PLEASE SUPPORT THE SHOW:Get Relief Today! Visit https://dermazen.co/sidebar for an extra 10% off and free shipping.HOST:Jesse Weber: https://twitter.com/jessecordweberLAW&CRIME SIDEBAR PRODUCTION:YouTube Management - Bobby SzokeVideo Editing - Michael Deininger, Christina O'Shea & Jay CruzScript Writing & Producing - Savannah Williamson & Juliana BattagliaGuest Booking - Alyssa Fisher & Diane KayeSocial Media Management - Vanessa BeinSTAY UP-TO-DATE WITH THE LAW&CRIME NETWORK:Watch Law&Crime Network on YouTubeTV: https://bit.ly/3td2e3yWhere To Watch Law&Crime Network: https://bit.ly/3akxLK5Sign Up For Law&Crime's Daily Newsletter: https://bit.ly/LawandCrimeNewsletterRead Fascinating Articles From Law&Crime Network: https://bit.ly/3td2IqoLAW&CRIME NETWORK SOCIAL MEDIA:Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/lawandcrime/Twitter: https://twitter.com/LawCrimeNetworkFacebook: https://www.facebook.com/lawandcrimeTwitch: https://www.twitch.tv/lawandcrimenetworkTikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@lawandcrimeSee Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

Wondery Plus subscribers can binge all episodes of this Law and Crimes series ad-free right now. Join Wondery Plus in the Wondery app, Apple Podcasts, or Spotify. We already have eight different videos of you raping at least eight different victims. He's a serial rapist, convicted in London of raping 10 women in at least two countries. But now, as we learn grisly new details about who UK police called, one of the most prolific rapists in its history, more women are coming forward with their own gruesome stories. We're taking a look at the latest allegations and what was revealed in a UK courtroom during trial just last month. Welcome to Sidebar, presented by Law and Crime. I'm Jesse Weber.

Let's talk about it. 28-year-old Chinese PhD student Zen Hao-Zo was recently convicted of drugging and raping 10 women in the United Kingdom in China. But London Metropolitan Police say they collected a huge amount of evidence in this case. And it's likely Zoe raped dozens more women while he was studying for his PhD and engineering. Really, really disturbing case. A jury convicted Zoe on 11 counts of rape against 10 women last month. And the details that were revealed during his trial, horrific. According to investigators at the Met, Zoe lured women he met on dating apps to his apartment.

where he drugged them, filmed himself sexually assaulting them. He even kept souvenirs from each victim, which police released a photo of, things like hair ties, a sock, jewelry. Photos also show black dress that police think could belong to a victim. And police say all the women that Zoe targeted were of Asian descent. Many were Chinese national studying in the UK. In 2023, one of Zoe's victims posted about her experience on social media, warning others in london's chinese community about him another woman who saw the post realize she had a similar

encounter with zoo and she went to the authorities in early 2024 metropolitan police arrested him hello you mr zoo by any chance what's her name sir sir so how and your surname yes and your surname you're any name too pardon you got any idea on you at all yeah yeah can you show me your idea please just so we can confirm who you are. That doesn't. Is there anybody else in? Say that again.

I saw it just was done. Sorry? Say that again? Uh, I remember Mom's... Okay, sir, I'm arresting you on suspicion of rape okay because it is alleged that on the 14th of November last year you have vaginally raped a female at this address okay you do not have to say anything but may harm your defence if you do not mention when questions something which

you later rely on in court anything you do say may be given in evidence your arrest is necessary for a prompt and effective investigation okay your time let me finish your time of arrest is now 153 come on come out can just allow something cover here can I want to jack here or anything yeah yeah we'll get that you shuffle out shuffle out Yeah, can you... I'm going to search this, we don't have anything

shot when you're trying to do you understand what's happening? And when police searched Zoe's apartment, they found multiple hidden cameras in SD cards, and eventually they located a horrifying collection

of at least 68 rape videos. Some of the graphic footage was shown to the jury at trial. The videos shows a raping semi-conscious and unconscious women. The BBC reports that,

the jurors were visibly upset, that they were given regular breaks as these videos were shown. Sky News reports that on one of the videos, a woman can be heard saying, I really don't want, don't do this. Zoe apparently responded, don't push me. It's pointless. It's not the first time we've done it. This is the second time. The sound insulation here is very good.

Wow. Now, two of the videos were of the same woman who has never been identified, and two others were of women who police were able to locate and they testified at the trial. The other seven rapes happened during the pandemic when Zoe was living in China. None of those women have been IDed. But investigators also found drugs in Zoe's apartment, including ecstasy and a chemical compound that converts to GHB or the date rape drug once inside the body. Now, investigators questioned Zoe after his arrest with the help of a Chinese language interpreter.

We already have eight different things. videos of you raping at least eight different victims. We're seeing at least eight different victims. This includes the two from your phone that would discuss with you upon your last arrest. It's in which, in one of the eight in which, including two, we've said, we've said, the same thing see you've said,

the transgendered women's of the movie. As they've said, some of the things he's include two hard drive over 2 terabytes each? You have, what, two hard drive, like these these digital chisien do in our money.

How many videos you have? You, how many victims are there? You're how many victims are there? No comments. The BBC reports that the Crown Prosecution Service was able to bring charges against Zoe

for crimes that happened in China because foreign nationals living in the UK can be charged when the Defense Committee, abroad if it's also illegal in that country. Okay, so what I'm about to say is totally off topic. I'm giving you a fair warning right now. Look, there is an issue that affects a lot of people out there, and I didn't even really think about it until we partnered up with our new sponsor, dermazin. So I'm talking about dandruff. Most people assume it's from a dry scout, but it's actually caused by an overgrowth of fungus called nalisea. And that fungus, it feeds on the oils inside

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Between 2017 and 2019, Zoe studied for his undergraduate degree at Queens University in Belfast, Northern Ireland. He then moved to London to study at University College London, going back to China during the pandemic, and then returned to London. And one of Zos' victims who testified against them spoke with the BBC, not revealing her real name. She's living in China, didn't want to fly to the UK for the trial because her parents don't know what happened to her, they would ask questions. So the Met sent two officers to China to be with her, give her support while she gave evidence via video. Another victim also spoke with the BBC, describing the horrifying moments when she realized what was happening to her and that it was being recorded. And she says

when she tried to get up and leave Zoe's bedroom, he quote, yanked her back from the doorway and she had to cling onto the doorframe with both hands. When she threatened to scream for help, She told the BBC, Zoe, let her go, tried to downplay the whole situation, telling her not to make a big deal about what happened. And she says he even contacted her the next day with no mention of what happened the night before and invited her to go to dinner. She told the BBC, she ignored him. Now, in its announcement about the conviction, the Met encouraged any other potential victims to come forward. And they did. The department says at least 23 women have contacted detectives saying Zoe may have targeted them.

Scotland Yard told reporters that some of the victims are in the UK, others are in China, but the plea for other victims to contact has stretched to Ireland as well. So far, detectives say no Irish victims have come forward, but they're not ruling it out because Zoh lived there for two years. Now, Zoe testified in his own defense telling the court that he enjoyed role playing and had discussed rape role play with at least one of the women in the videos. According to the Crown Prosecution Service, Zoe was also found guilty of three counts of voyeurism, 10 counts of possession of an extreme pornographic image, one count of false imprisonment,

three counts of possession of a drug with intent to commit a sexual offense. But Zoe wasn't convicted of all the charges he faced. He was cleared of two further counts of possession of an extreme portographic image and five counts of possession of controlled drugs to commit a sexual offense. Those charges were in connection with other drugs allegedly found in his apartment like ketamine and MDMA. But in a statement, Metropolitan Police Commander Kevin Southworth said, Zenhow Zoe is a dangerous and prolific sexual predator who manipulated and drugged women in order to prey on them in the most cowardly way. We are determined to support all victim survivors and are now asking women who believe they may have concerns about Zoe to please come forward.

So it's possible that Zoe could face more charges in the future and even a second trial. He's set to be scheduled in June and the judge warned him that he could face a lengthy prison sentence. That's a quote. Talk more about this. I want to bring on Nick Brett. criminal litigation barrister in the UK. Thank you so much for coming on. Is this a big deal out there? Are people talking about this case? Yeah, it's a, it's a major case. It's extraordinary case. And actually, the most extraordinary thing about it is it really came about as a result

of the bravery of one of the victims who did go to the police and made an allegation that she'd been raped by Zoe. And they then went to his flat and found this, you know, treasurer. treasure trove of evidence, if you like, hundreds and hundreds and hundreds of hours of video footage. And they were therefore able to piece a case from that evidence when it was really the original complaint was made by just one woman. And in fact, there are numerous victims in the footage that was seized from his home address who's still not been identified to this day. What is the sentence that he could potentially face? Well, he's due to to appear in in a London Crown Court, I think on the 25th of June sentence, the maximum

sentence for rape is life imprisonment and he probably runs the risk of the imposition of a life sentence given the nature of the crimes and the number of the victims. There was a case called Reynard Sinaga relatively recently in the last three or four years, who was somebody in fact in quite similar circumstances, was convicted of raping a number of young men who had also been drugged, and he was given life sentences and terrorists of 30 and 40 years, I think. So the potential sentence for zoos is certainly a very high one. of it if i mean look i wasn't in that courtroom i know cameras weren't allowed in the u k courtrooms but i couldn't i couldn't understand what the defense really was and him taking the stand

and i guess suggesting this was all role playing everything was consensual um is that what you got and i guess him taking the stand didn't really help his case well that's right i mean uh i well funny enough i think detectives felt that he came across as you know an educating i think one of them described him as being quite a charming man and that he certainly appeared when he was giving evidence in court and he was very well dressed he wore glasses he was of a very sort of serious disposition when he was giving evidence but yes his defence was that that all of these women were consenting and the difficulty was that I think for him that I mean quite apart from all the video footage and some of

which you described earlier wrong there was also the drugs that were found in the in his premises. And there is a presumption, and clearly a lot of the victims had been drugged and were unconscious when he was filmed having sex with them. And there is a presumption in the Sexual Offences Act that somebody who has been administered with a drug is not consenting. And in those circumstances, the burden of proof switches to the defendant to show that there was consent. And so, obviously, given the number of victims, given the nature of the evidence, it was a very difficult case for him. Now, he wasn't convicted across the board. And, you know, in the practical reality, it's not going to have much significance for him because he was convicted of the most serious charges. I am always of the opinion when a jury does that, it shows, you know, they didn't just put a blanket guilty across the board.

We sweep all the evidence together. It shows they were very careful and deliberate about what each charge was, what the elements of them are. And that signifies to me when I see that kind of split verdict there. verdict there. But do you think based on anything you've seen in the case, does it make sense that maybe he was found not guilty of those specific charges regarding, you know, possession and drugs and things of that nature? I think you're quite right, Jesse. I mean, in my experience, juries do a proper job. They pay proper attention to the evidence. They pay proper attention to

the burden of proof and the standard of proof. And, you know, they discharge their responsibilities properly. And, you know, obviously they failed in respect of certain of the charges in this case that the prosecution haven't discharged the high standard of proof that we have, which is that, you know, crimes must be proven, you know, beyond a reasonable doubt. I think about this a lot in these cases. I think about this a lot in cases involving children. But I also think about it because we have the Diddy trial coming up. What this jury had to see here, these videos, it's one of the reasons why I always wonder, do prosecutors will try to work at a deal so they don't have to present a jury with this evidence. They don't have to show this

for a courtroom to see, for innocent people to see. I imagine how difficult this was for them to have to go through and watch these videos because it's evidence. They have no choice but to watch it, but it's difficult, right? I agree. And the difficulty is in a case like this, you know, in lots of allegations of rape, there's no evidence at all. It tends to be a complaint, making complaint. The suspect in that investigation will put forward a defence, usually one that was that the sexual contact or intercourse was consensual. So it's quite unusual, I think, that detectives have video evidence,

and certainly the quantity of evidence that one had in this case in order to present their case. obviously if he's running a defense and he's he's he's challenging the cases he was then the prosecution are unfortunately going to have to put forward their best evidence and that means that as you say that jurors you know have to watch some pretty horrific footage and when one reads I mean I wasn't in court either but when one reads the press coverage of the of the trial it seems that the times jurors were visibly upset, that they were given breaks quite routinely after the more disturbing

evidence. And I have no doubt that at the conclusion of the case, they'll be invited back for the sentence, that they'll be discharged from having to have any responsibility to sit on a jury at any time in the future. And you also have to think about the victims in this case, having to testify, whether in person or through video, what is the impact of that as a form of evidence in these cases? Yeah, well, I mean, again, I mean we have special measures in England where all possible steps are taken to protect the victims of crime when giving evidence and so that they are entitled to give evidence sometimes via a live link from outside the courtroom, sometimes from behind screens. But that can't in any way possibly detract from the horror that they may may have may have made. must have to suffer in order to relive you know these experiences it seems many of them may not

even recollect at all and would possibly have to be shown video footage of them being assaulted and raped when they had no recollection of it because they've been drugged and as to say it was only because of the bravery of one woman the the scale of the offending in this case was was detected it's extraordinary because look how long he was able to do this how is that possible? Is it just because this is a particular crime that, I mean, he had video proof, but how would have anyone seen it, right? But is it one of those crimes where it can go undetected unless someone speaks up? I mean, you know, there are quite a lot of instances of this kind of thing. People engaged in serial offending of this nature, which doesn't get

detected for years. And I think, as you said earlier on, he was in Belfast, wasn't he? I think between 2017 and 2019 before moving over to London. And then he went back to China during COVID, during the pandemic, where he obviously offended. And then came back to London. And I guess you're dealing with someone who outwardly presents as a normal person. He was studying, I think, mechanical engineering at the top London University, smartly dressed.

I think his parents are wealthy. are wealthy. He's from a good family and background. And I mean, you said earlier on that he even had the temerity to text one of his victims after he'd raped the following day and asked her out for dinner. I mean, I guess that's the reason why. And obviously, the use of the drugs and the difficulty in recollection, I think most of his victims, and not all of his victims were of Chinese heritage. Perhaps they felt or do feel culturally that they're less able to access help. Maybe they feel that they won't be believed if they go to the police. And so I think lots of victims of sexual crimes generally feel that. So I suspect

that's the reason. But certainly it's horrific that he was able to to offend in this way for as long as you did. No, I think that's a very fair assessment of what may be happening in a lot of cases, but also in this particular case, you talk about that international factor. I thought it was really interesting. The idea, and as I mentioned this before,

where the Crown Prosecution Service can bring charges against him for crimes that happened in China. Talk to us about that. Well, it is interesting that for certain sexual offenses, there is provision in the Sexual Offences Act for crimes committed abroad by those who are either nationals of the UK or resident in the UK and to be tried over here for those crimes and really we I think have experienced over the last 20 years or so this whole concept of sex tourism where dangerous offenders would go usually to the Far East and carry out horrific sex crimes and then come back to the United Kingdom. And I think that the ability of prosecutors in the United Kingdom to use the, I suppose the greater resources that we have over here and the greatest techniques that we have over here

in order to prosecute for those offences. And also the in-depth knowledge of the offenders themselves meant that legislative change was made and that those that commit sexual offences, serious sexual offences outside the jurisdiction can be tried here in the United Kingdom, provided that certain conditions are met, which would in this case, well, have in this case been met. And I think there are further victims that are likely to come forward. And talk about coming forward. Do you believe more there's going to be further charges against him? We talked about what might have happened in Ireland. We talk about more women coming forward. Do you suspect that this is just one chapter, that he's going

to be hit with additional charges, that there will be a second trial, because it's not easy, obviously, testifying about any of this, but you have to imagine to see multiple women already testifying him already being convicted, it may emboldened other people to come forward and make them a little bit more comfortable and have the strength to come forward if, in fact, he did sexually assault other women. I think given the severity of the crimes, it's difficult to argue that it's not in the public interest to prosecute him and where you've got a number of a number of different whole different class a number of different victims coming forward and saying

look I was also raped by this man I was also sexually sorted by him it's going to be very difficult for prosecutors say well he's already serving a lengthy prison sentence we won't try him again and one would hope in such circumstances you know depending on the sentence he receives in June you would hope in such circumstances that he would take a sensible view and and and and and make arrangements with the prosecution to come to some kind of deal whereby those victims didn't have to come to court and be put through the cross-examination, the victims in the first trial was subjected to. Not that I'm making any criticism, obviously, of the legal professionals

involved because they're duty bound to put their client's case. Well, couldn't he, would that endanger his rights to an appeal? I mean, what are the appellate rights in the UK? Well, he has a right to lodge an appeal. against his conviction on the grounds that that conviction is unsafe. Ordinarily, in cases of this nature, given the potential impact upon the defendant's life, then a defendant will, a convicted defendant will exercise his right of appeal. But the Court of Appeal will look at that. There's not a retrial. trial they would look at the trial process and establish whether or not really the test is the

convictions are unsafe in all the circumstances and so even if for our procedural irregularities in a trial that doesn't necessarily mean that the convictions would be quashed but rather the court would look at all the circumstances including the strengths of the evidence before determining whether or not those convictions were unsafe um you know one one one can only imagine that he would face an uphill struggle in seeking to persuade the court of appeal that these convictions are unsafe given the that given how many there are of them by the way just a legal point of view how many tiers of appeal are there is there an intermediate court is there the highest court has it work just curious well there is um i'm virtually serious cases are tried in what what we call over here

the crown court so that is in front of a jury your your right of appeal to the crowd from the the crown court is to what's called the court of appeal criminal division there are there we do have a supreme court um so we have a court that hears cases of public importance very very few criminal cases go to the supreme court in fact there are two recent examples although they're not relevant to this um uh you know to this kind of case but um usually the court of appeal is the last port of call unless there's a point of importance Interesting. Nick Brett, listen, thank you so much for coming on, you know, give us insight into the law and the circumstances about what's happening across the pond.

I mean, really, really disturbing case. And we will see what his sentence will be and whether or not more people will come forward. But thank you so much for taking the time, sir. It's good to see you. Thanks, Jesse. My pleasure. And that's all we have for you right now here on Sidebar. Everybody, thank you so much for joining us. And as always, please subscribe on YouTube, Apple Podcast, Spotify, wherever you should get your podcast. I'm Jesse Weber. I'll speak to you next time.