Son of Chinese government official drugged and sexually assaulted girl at British university after spending months downloading date rape pornography



Xuanyu Zhong, 25, was obsessed with brutal date rape pornography



He spent months researching on internet how to carry out his 'fantasy'

Northumbria University student drugged victim before assaulting her

Was jailed for six years at Newcastle Crown Court for sexual assault



Jailed: Student Xuanyu Zhong, 25, drugged and sexually assaulted his female victim after becoming obsessed with date rape pornography

A university student obsessed with date rape pornography turned his fantasy into reality by drugging and sexually assaulting a woman.

Xuanyu Zhong, the son of a Chinese government official, committed the crime after watching hours of sick rape videos on the internet.

The Northumbria University student researched date-rape drugs, bought some online and carried out a sex attack on a woman who accepted a drink from him. Zhong, 25, denied sexual assault but was found guilty and jailed for six years at Newcastle Crown Court.

He had intended to copy the videos by raping his drugged victim but changed his mind at the last minute and sexually assaulted her instead, the court heard.

The student was eventually caught when his victim remembered parts of the assault ordeal and reported it to the police. But that was only the start of the woman’s nightmare.

She was subjected to a campaign of threatening texts and phone calls after Zhong’s father – who is based in China – and friends tracked her down and tried to put pressure on her not to give evidence.



However, she stood firm and Zhong was forced to stand trial. It was only at a later sentencing hearing that the pervert admitted what he had done in a letter to the judge.

Judge Paul Sloan, QC, said the Chinese police had been informed about the actions of Zhong’s associates.



Convicted: Zhong denied the charges but was found guilty of sexual assault by a jury at Newcastle Crown Court, pictured. He eventually confessed to the crime in a letter to the judge ahead of being jailed for six years

The judge told Zhong: ‘This was a premeditated offence. You offered to get your victim a drink and, when she accepted, you laced that drink with the drugs you obtained. Her recollection of events thereafter is very limited.’

The incident took place in December 2011. The judge added: ‘I’m satisfied that for some time prior to these offences, you had fantasised about drugging a female and then sexually assaulting your victim by having intercourse with her while she was incapacitated.’



Detectives examined the student’s computer and discovered months earlier he had viewed web pages detailing the effects of different date-rape drugs.

A month before the attack, he viewed eight pornographic videos showing women being drugged and raped while incapacitated.

'For some time prior to these offences, you had fantasised about drugging a female and then sexually assaulting your victim by having intercourse with her while she was incapacitated' Judge Paul Sloan, QC

‘You accepted when pressed during the course of your evidence that you were sexually excited by such videos,’ said the judge.

The student formulated a plan, bought the drugs and put it into action.

He laced his victim’s drink and later forced himself upon her while she lay helpless.



Commenting on the defendant’s letter to the judge, Paul Cross, defending, said: ‘His letter isn’t a complete acceptance but it is a substantial acceptance.

‘It expresses remorse and explains the factors which made it difficult for him to put in a guilty plea at an earlier stage.’