Rapist serving life may face more assault charges

A convicted serial rapist, described by police as 'one of the astir prolific predators' in the UK, may face additional charges after prosecutors received new allegations involving 7 more women. Chinese national Zhenhao Zou is serving a life sentence with a minimum term of 24 years after being found guilty of drugging and raping 10 women in London and China between September 2019 and May 2023. Believing he may have committed further offences, police issued an appeal for possible victim‑survivors to come forward. The Metropolitan Police has forwarded a file containing the fresh allegations of sexual offences to the Crown Prosecution Service, which will decide whether to bring additional charges. According to the Met, the file includes evidence relating to several alleged offences, including rape and administering a substance with intent to commit a sexual offence. It covers reports from 5 women who contacted police following the appeal, as well as the alleged rape of 2 women who remain unidentified. In total, 23 women reached out to police after the appeal, although most of them declined to pursue charges, the force said. The Met added that separate inquiries are continuing into allegations involving women who were allegedly assaulted by Zou in China, with officers seeking to obtain evidence from Chinese authorities.