Quantcast
Channel: Courts – The Sun
Viewing all articles
Browse latest Browse all 3309

Cops share pic of creepy souvenirs collected by evil rapist including jewellery in bid to find 50 more potential victims

$
0
0

POLICE have shared a photo of the creepy souvenirs collected by a prolific rapist in a bid to track down 50 more potential victims.

Zhenhao Zou used vast amounts of alcohol or drugs to “stupefy” women so he could fulfil his depraved sexual fantasies.

Belongings arranged on a white surface.
MEt Police
The belongings Zhenhao Zou collected from his victims[/caption]
Portrait of Zou in a black jacket in front of cherry blossoms.
Met Police
Police fear he could have targeted at least 60 women[/caption]
Police appeal for victim-survivors of Zhenhao Zou.
The Met are now appealing for more potential victims to come forward

The 27-year-old would then carry out horrific sex attacks, which he filmed to keep as “souvenirs” that he could watch back for his “own private sexual gratification”.

Police have now released an image of his twisted trophies after he was convicted of raping ten women.

The Met Police fear Zou could have targeted 50 more women and have shared the picture in a bid to trace them.

It shows a number of items recovered by officers – including multiple hair bands and a sock with a polar bear on it.

There was a variety of different earrings and a silver ring included in the chilling haul.

Zou also collected a hair piece, a lipstick and what appears to be a magnet from Seville.

The force said Zou is “the most substantial and prolific offender that we’ve come across in recent times”.

Detectives examined 1,270 separate videos along with nine million messages recovered from his devices to reveal at least 50 more victims.

They – along with eight of the ten women Zou was today convicted of raping – have not been identified by police.

Detective Chief Inspector Richard McKenzie said: “To date we have not been able to make a public appeal for further victims – with your help we are now asking anyone who thinks they have been a victim to come forward and speak to the police.

“Our message to potential victims is to please come forward and speak to us.

“We can offer support and signpost to external support so each victim can get the support they want and need.”

Screengrab of camera footage showing a gloved hand examining evidence.
PA
The case was built after police found videos on cameras in his home[/caption]
Camera used to film alleged rapes.
PA
One of the devices recovered by officers[/caption]

Commander Kevin Southworth, head of public protection at the Met, said: “It may go beyond that once we have the appeal out there, take it only as indicative at this point.

“The calculating predatory nature of what he’s been charged with, it’s fairly unprecedented.

“It’s certainly not something I’ve seen in my 28 years of policing.”

During his trial, jurors were told Zou first came to UK in 2017 to study engineering at Queen’s University in Belfast.

In 2019, he began a master’s degree at University College London before beginning a PhD there in 2021.

The court heard between 2019 and 2023, he raped two of the women in London, while the other eight were at unknown locations in China.

Prosecutor Catherine Farrelly, KC, said previously: “To the outside world, Zhenhao Zou undoubtedly presents as a smart and charming young man.

“However, as you know from the indictment in this case which contains 35 allegations against him, the prosecution says that he is also a persistent sexual predator, a voyeur and a rapist.”

Bottle of 1,3-butanediol and plastic packaging.
MEt Police
Police found the elements of a date-rape drug in his home[/caption]
Xanax pills and a bag of pills on a bed.
MEt Police
They also discovered Xanax in his bedroom[/caption]
Bags of seized MDMA and ketamine.
Met Police
MDMA and Ketamine was among the haul seized by cops[/caption]

The case was based on videos found on his mobile phone and two cameras also seized from his home.

One of the recordings showed Zou stood over a woman, who appeared “upset”.

He could be heard encouraging her to finish her drink as she begged to go home.

Zou claimed some of the women were “role playing” and all consented to any footage that was taken of them.

In his evidence, the fiend gave a chilling insight into his warped fantasies and revealed his “favourite” type of porn involved sleeping women.

He said he preferred it when the women “appear to be still and quiet when they are having sex”.

When asked by his lawyer Mark Cotter KC if he liked women being asleep, he continued: “Yes, that’s my favourite type. But I could not find that.”

Zou told jurors he instead watched “specialist timestop” pornography.

Haunting videos recovered by police showed victims being raped while they were unconscious or semi-conscious and slurring their words.

DRUG HAUL

In one, the woman appeared to have bruising to her eye, cheek bone and above the eye brow.

Another victim, who was drugged but conscious, cried out “I don’t want” as she was attacked by Zou.

His depraved crimes came to light in November 2023 when one brave woman – a Chinese national – reported him to the police.

She told how she was dragged into a bedroom by Zou, who made her drink vodka laced with drugs before he raped her.

Officers raided Zou’s flat in London and found a variety of date rape drugs including Ketamine, Xanax and MDMA.

They also discovered multiple 500ml bottles of Butanediol, which is made into well-known date-rape drug GHB by the body when swallowed.

Further photos released by police show the cache of drugs found, as well as a huge stash of condoms in a Louis Vuitton box.

Police also recovered his devices, which uncovered an “unprecedented” wealth of material for them to investigate.

They found Zou was “constantly” engaged in conversations on social media sites like WeChat and Little Red Book, which led to more than nine million messages being uncovered.

Officers will now use those sites to get their appeal for further victims across.

Zou denied 35 charges against him – including 11 charges of rape, 12 of possession of an extreme pornographic images and three counts of voyeurism.

He was also charged with one of false imprisonment and eight counts of possession of a controlled drug with intent to supply.

The predator has been remanded into custody ahead of sentencing.

Man looking upward, wearing a dark denim jacket.
Zou has been remanded into custody
Mugshot of Zou.
He will be sentenced at a later date

Viewing all articles
Browse latest Browse all 3309

Trending Articles