Judge accuses judicial appointments commission of 'lying'
Eastern Eye's investigative work used repeatedly in legal case
By BARNIE CHOUDHURYSep 18, 2023
THE body which appoints judges and one of its senior leaders lied to avoid giving information to the public, a tribunal has heard.
Judge Abbas Mithani KC is taking legal action against the Judicial Appointments Commission [JAC] and Information Commissioner’s Office [ICO] because they did not give him full disclosure to three freedom of information requests [FOI] he made.
The JAC told the General Regulatory Chamber in Leicester that the judge’s allegations were “very serious”, but “rejected in their entirety”.
In his 90-minute closing statement, Mithani criticised the JAC, its former head of corporate affairs, Ian Thomson, who oversaw the FOI requests, and the government legal department [GLD].
“I have found the evidence of Mr Thomson not only inaccurate, but untruthful,” he said.
“The JAC legal team has fallen substantially short of what is expected from professional lawyers.
“I will demonstrate that it is simply not the case that the evidence on which they rely, it being their burden, meets up to the standards of discharging their burden of proof, being on the balance of probabilities.”
He continued that the JAC had “frankly told untruths” when it came to applying section 36 of the act, one of its exemptions.
This requires a so-called qualified person approved by a justice minister.
That person, the court was told, must provide an opinion which shows that releasing the information would “prejudice public affairs”, and that their view was reasonable.
“My written submission contains a detailed chronology of serious and serial failings at the JAC in relation to the application of this exemption,” said Mithani.
“I believe it to be undisputed, but I’m still not clear about the JAC’s position.
“They knew there was no valid authorisation in place.
“I think that has to be admitted at the time when my FOIs were made and when they were refused and subsequently when the information commissioner made his decision.”
The hearing was technical and detailed and both sides took the panel through reams of court documents.
Economical with the truth
Mithani focused on a letter from Steven Ball, who worked under Thomson at the JAC.
He argued that Ball gave a clear impression in a letter to the ICO that the commission was authorised to use section 36 when it did not.
“He never mentioned there was no authorisation,” said the judge. “At that stage the JAC had no authorisation at all.
“Here is a member of staff, under the supervision of Mr Thomson, who is representing to the information commissioner that there is authorisation in place.
“Perhaps the tribunal might consider that at the time when he made this statement, although Mr Thomson knew there was no authorisation in place, Mr Ball did not.
“Well, that’s manifestly incorrect.”
Judge Abbas Mithani KC
At this point, Mithani introduced evidence obtained by Eastern Eye – a series of emails made public because of freedom of information requests.
He said, “Mr Ball is copied in the email dated 27th July 2022, so going back to what Mr Ball was saying on the 3rd of October 2022, it just was not true.
“There is no other explanation for it...Mr Thomson and Mr Ball were all in it together…basically economical with the truth.
“‘Why should we tell the information commissioner we don’t have any authorisation?
“‘No-one’s going to enquire about it, we can just let it slip,’” he said.
The judge, who was appointed by the master of rolls in his current role in August 2019, criticised the ICO for not taking part in the proceedings because “it doesn’t have the resources”.
The ICO had the “misconceived impression” that the then chief executive of the JAC, Richard Jarvis, was the qualified person, the tribunal heard.
Both the ICO and JAC also wrongly applied the public interest test, where organisations must decide between disclosing or not disclosing information.
“The JAC and information commissioner failed to take into account several matters in relation to the public interest test.
“First, the widespread criticism of the JAC and the substantial body of public opinion that it is not fit for purpose.”
Mithani said this was evidenced by two examples.
“First of all, the submission to the Equality and Human Rights Commission by the Judicial Support Network.
“The other which encapsulates a number of the previous articles and literature on the subject is Professor Barnie Choudhury’s recent article in Eastern Eye about how bad the JAC is.”
Machiavellian JAC
He accused the JAC of being unethical.
“It’s very Machiavellian, a means to an end.
“You decide you’re not going to do something, and then you work backwards, that’s what the JAC is doing, working backwards, and it is completely unacceptable.”
Mithani also said the JAC had wronged him by claiming he would “hack” accounts to “target, cause mischief or embarrass people”.
He hinted to the court that he may take legal action against the JAC and Ball for defamation.
“What Mr Ball says is that I have great investigative techniques that would make it possible to hack into other people’s accounts and get information.
“Whose accounts? Because I don’t know who the candidates were to enable me to hack into anyone’s accounts.
“Yes, I could hack into a judge’s account if somebody taught me to do that, and one of my colleagues told me I couldn’t hack a loaf of bread.”
At this point, the judge castigated Ball’s supervisors and the GLD
“What I was accused of was that I knew some of the candidates.
“It is not only disingenuous to suggest to a court through solicitors who have been acting for the JAC, it is absolutely incomprehensible that allegations of this nature are made and that nobody at the GLD bothers to check whether they are correct.”
Mithani also pointed to inconsistencies in approach to decision making when the JAC answered freedom of information requests.
Ian Thomson (Pic: LinkedIn)
Eastern Eye learnt through FOI requests, sent by Thomson, and published in part last week, that one candidate complained they were unsuccessful “on the grounds of race”.
“Here Mr Thomson is giving information about ethnicity of a candidate, it’s absolutely astonishing.
“Why is my request being dealt with in the way Mr Thomson’s decided to deal with it, when this information was freely given to Professor Choudhury?
“I suggest it’s because it shows something very untoward at the JAC which will expose it to the very many matters that the public has been complaining about.
“That shows the decisions made by the JAC are completely inconsistent.”
Serious allegations
The JAC’s barrister, Natasha Simonsen, concentrated on four main areas.
Personal data under section 40 of the act.
The scoring framework.
Ethnicity and sexual orientation of the candidates.
Complaints against the JAC.
But as she began her closing argument, Simonsen addressed Mithani’s allegations of her clients’ lying to the tribunal.
“Some very serious allegations have been made, and they are rejected in their entirety,” Simonsen said.
“The allegations are not only against the JAC but also against that JAC’s legal advisers, the GLD and perhaps me as well.
“These are matters we take extremely seriously.
“If the tribunal considered any of that relevant then we would wish to respond in writing to those specific allegations.
“Mr Thomson and his colleagues in the JAC, and my colleagues at the GLD are extremely hard working civil servants who have strived consistently to do the right thing at every stage of the proceedings.
“There is absolutely no desire to cover things up or suppress information.
“What there is is a concern to protect personal information, including sensitive or special category information for both applicants of judicial office and panel members.
“There is also a concern to ensure the appointments system is not prejudiced by disclosure of scoring frameworks which may be unable to be reused in subsequent exercises.”
Personal information
The barrister conceded that the JAC had mistakenly refused one FOI request, but that it corrected the error during the court hearing.
But she said her clients maintained the position that they were right to refuse disclosing certain information to Mithani.
One FOI request was for candidates for senior judges in three circuit areas.
“This (is) personal data because it is a very small number,” argued Simonson.
“Disclosing the number of candidates interviewed would allow individuals together with other information which is reasonably accessible to them – essentially to put two and two together – to work out who was interviewed for that role.
“There is no suggestion that Mr Mithani or anyone else is going to hack anybody.
“We say it’s a small number, a senior position, it’s in a limited geographical area.
“People who are likely to be in the running for those positions may be familiar with the appointments process, they may be familiar with the people.
“If we disclose the number interviewed, that would (cause) all those individuals to be identified.”
Natasha Simonsen
Simonsen accepted that anonymised data was not personal data.
But she cited case law to question whether the information was sufficiently unidentifiable.
This was about confidential personal information, and by revealing the candidates scores under freedom of information requests reveal their number.
“The Freedom of Information Act says you can’t get the same data by another means [sic].
“You can’t get across the same exemption in the DPA [Data Protection Act], by exercising rights under FOIA.”
The JAC, she said, could not reveal information without “lawful authority”.
“We say that the number of candidates who were interviewed and their scores is [sic] personal data because it allows individuals to be identified if put together with other information.
“If that is right it cannot be disclosed whether because disclosure would contravene the data protection principles or in respect of that [sic] scores.
“Candidates cannot access that information, so somebody else shouldn’t be able to access it either.”
No discrepancies
Simonson also dismissed the information in the FOI requests obtained by Eastern Eye.
She argued that what was given in written evidence and heard by the tribunal were consistent because of assumptions made by the JAC that Jarvis was the qualified person, because he was the chief executive.
“We’ve applied the request, the information commissioner never raised objections, it must be the case that Dr Jarvis is the qualified person,” the barrister interpreted the emails as meaning.
“Please can you assist me?” she continued, “I’m seeking clarification here.
“That’s what the email said, there’s no suggestion that Mr Thomson is lying or the JAC is being dishonest.
“There’s certainly not an email here that says, ‘Oh gosh we’ve realised we’ve got no authorisation, we’ve been wrongly invoking it, we’ve made a huge mistake.’
“On the contrary, the assumption is there is some sort of record, they’re trying to find it.”
On the mistake made by Thomson in March 2021, Simonson explained that he said in his sworn testimony that “it did not cross his mind” to let the ICO know they could not find the authority naming Jarvis as the qualified person.
“It was absolutely nothing to suggest that was done in bad faith, there is simply no basis whatsoever to suggest that Mr Thomson was lying.
“It was refused categorically and further it was distressing to him and the hard working civil servants at the JAC to be accused in that way.”
The panel has reserved its decision for a later date.
HUNDREDS of people gathered in central London on Friday (20) evening to mark the 10th International Day of Yoga, with King Charles III sending a special message of support for the ancient practice that continues to grow in popularity across Britain.
The celebration took place at an iconic square on the Strand, organised by the Indian High Commission in partnership with King's College London. High commissioner Vikram Doraiswami opened the proceedings by reading out the King's personal message from Buckingham Palace.
The 76-year-old monarch, who is known for his interest in yoga, praised the practice for promoting "global principles of unity, compassion and wellbeing".
He highlighted this year's theme, 'Yoga for One Earth, One Health', saying it reminds us "how vitally important it is that the world comes together to secure a happy and healthy future for present and future generations".
"Yoga is increasing in popularity across the UK year on year, with millions of people in our country reaping its benefits," the King's message read. "Yoga is a powerful means of enabling anyone to improve their physical and mental health and fosters a sense of wellbeing and togetherness within communities."
The London event featured expert-led sessions including traditional sun salutations and breathing techniques, with guidance from organisations including Heartfulness UK, Art of Living, and the Isha Foundation. The evening began with a musical performance by Bhavan UK and concluded with 'Samagam', a harmonious blend of yoga and dance.
Doraiswami reflected on the journey since 2014, when prime minister Narendra Modi first proposed the idea to the United Nations.
The initiative received support from 175 member states, making June 21 the official International Day of Yoga.
"Yoga speaks to a universal language, the idea of the commonality of the human experience," Doraiswami explained. "We all, no matter where we come from, how we look, how we pray, what we speak, our bodies need the same forms of healing."
Graham Lord, senior vice-president for Health and Life Sciences at King's College London, welcomed the partnership with the high commission.
"King's College London shares the values of community, wellness, inner calm and everything that yoga represents," he said, noting that this collaboration reflects the strengthening relationship between Britain and India.
The London celebration was part of worldwide commemorations that saw thousands of yoga enthusiasts roll out their mats across the globe.
India's prime minister Narendra Modi led the celebrations on Saturday (21) at Visakhapatnam in Andhra Pradesh. The event, which spanned a 26-kilometre stretch from Ramakrishna Beach to Bhogapuram, saw participation from thousands of yoga enthusiasts.
Prime minister Narendra Modi takes part in a yoga session during International Day of Yoga celebrations, in Visakhapatnam, Andhra Pradesh. (PMO via PTI Photo)
In his address, Modi said that yoga offers a path to peace amid rising global stress, unrest and instability. He urged the world to embrace yoga as a tool to move “from conflict to cooperation” and described it as “the pause button humanity needs — to breathe, to balance, to become whole again.”
This year’s theme, “Yoga for One Earth, One Health”, highlights the link between individual wellbeing and planetary health. Modi said the theme reflects the collective responsibility to ensure a healthy future for present and future generations.
He also noted India’s efforts to promote the science of yoga through modern research, with several leading medical institutions conducting studies on its benefits.
“Yoga is for everyone, beyond boundaries, backgrounds, age or ability,” he said, calling for a new phase of global engagement with yoga: “Yoga for humanity 2.0”. He also urged people to make yoga a part of their daily lives, saying it could be truly transformative.
Sharing photos from the event on social media, Modi wrote, “Yoga unites the world,” and expressed happiness at the widespread enthusiasm for yoga across the globe.
At the United Nations headquarters in New York, wellness guru Deepak Chopra led a special meditation session for over 1,200 participants, including diplomats, UN officials, and members of the diplomatic community.
In Times Square, described as "the crossroads of the world", approximately 10,000 people from various nationalities participated in seven yoga sessions throughout the day. Bollywood actor Anupam Kher attended the iconic New York celebration.
India's Permanent Representative to the UN, Ambassador P Harish, stressed the relevance of this year's theme during challenging times. "At a time when stress, lifestyle diseases and mental health challenges are on the rise, yoga offers a steady, time-tested path that helps one find calm within ourselves," he said.
The Indian Embassy in Beijing having to stop registrations after more than 1,500 people signed up for their event. Thousands participated in multiple yoga sessions across Chinese cities, including Shanghai and Guangzhou, where 300 people gathered on the banks of the Pearl River.
In Singapore, 300 participants celebrated at Supertree Lawn in the central business district. Minister of state Dinesh Vasu Dash told attendees: "In an increasingly divided world, we need more yoga to bring all of us together."
Thailand marked a particularly special milestone, having organised more than 30 yoga events across the country over the past 100 days leading up to the main celebration. Over 4,000 people performed the yoga protocol in unison at Chulalongkorn University in Bangkok.
Other notable celebrations took place in Japan at the historic Tsukiji Hongwanji Temple, attended by the spouses of the prime minister and foreign minister, and at UNESCO World Heritage sites in Nepal, including Lumbini, the birthplace of Buddha.
From the banks of Nepal's scenic Phewa Lake to Australia's old Parliament House in Canberra, millions joined in celebrating yoga's message of physical and mental wellbeing.
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Supporters of the assisted dying law for terminally ill people hold a banner, on the day British lawmakers are preparing to vote on the bill, in London, Britain, June 20, 2025. REUTERS/Isabel Infantes
PARLIAMENT voted on Friday (20) in favour of a bill to legalise assisted dying, paving the way for the country's biggest social change in a generation.
314 lawmakers voted in favour with 291 against the bill, clearing its biggest parliamentary hurdle.
The "Terminally Ill Adults (End of Life)" law would give mentally competent, terminally ill adults in England and Wales with six months or less left to live the right to choose to end their lives with medical help.
The vote puts Britain on course to follow Australia, Canada and other countries, as well as some US states, in permitting assisted dying.
Supporters say it will provide dignity and compassion to people suffering, but opponents worry that vulnerable people could be coerced into ending their lives.
The bill now proceeds to the upper chamber, the House of Lords, where it will undergo months of scrutiny. While there could be further amendments, the unelected Lords will be reluctant to block legislation that has been passed by elected members of the House of Commons.
Prime minister Keir Starmer's Labour government was neutral on the legislation, meaning politicians voted according to their conscience rather than along party lines. Starmer had previously said he was in favour of allowing assisted dying.
FILE PHOTO: Kim Leadbeater reacts during an interview about the Assisted Dying Bill in Westminster, London, Britain, October 15, 2024. REUTERS/Jaimi Joy
Opinion polls show that a majority of Britons back assisted dying. Friday's vote followed hours of emotional debate and references to personal stories in the chamber and followed a vote in November that approved the legislation in principle.
The vote took place 10 years after parliament last voted against allowing assisted dying.
Opponents of the bill had argued that ill people may feel they should end their lives for fear of being a burden to their families and society, and some lawmakers withdrew their support after the initial vote last year, saying safeguards had been weakened.
The 314 to 291 vote for the bill compared to the last November's result, which was 330 to 275 in favour.
In the original plan, an assisted death would have required court approval. That has been replaced by a requirement for a judgement by a panel including a social worker, a senior legal figure and a psychiatrist, which is seen by some as a watering down.
The Labour lawmaker who proposed the bill, Kim Leadbeater, said that the legislation still offered some of the most robust protections in the world against the coercion of vulnerable people.
Hundreds of campaigners both in favour and against the legislation gathered outside parliament on Friday to watch the vote on their mobile phones.
Those in favour chanted “my decision, my choice”, holding up posters that said “my life, my death” and photos of relatives who they said had died in pain.
Those against the legislation held up placards that said “let’s care not kill” and “kill the bill not the ill”.
(Reuters)
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An Air India Airbus A320-200 aircraft takes off from the Sardar Vallabhbhai Patel International Airport in Ahmedabad, India, July 7, 2017. Picture taken July 7, 2017.
INDIA’s aviation regulator has warned Air India for violating safety rules after three of its Airbus aircraft operated flights without undergoing mandatory checks on emergency escape slides, according to official documents reviewed by Reuters.
The Directorate General of Civil Aviation (DGCA) issued warning notices and a detailed investigation report highlighting the breach. These documents were sent days before the recent crash of an Air India Boeing 787-8, in which all but one of the 242 people onboard were killed. The Airbus incidents are unrelated to that crash.
According to the DGCA report, spot checks carried out in May found that three Air India Airbus aircraft were flown even though scheduled inspections on the escape slides – considered “critical emergency equipment” – were overdue.
One Airbus A320 was flown for more than a month before the check was completed on 15 May. AirNav Radar data showed that the aircraft operated international flights during that period, including to Dubai, Riyadh and Jeddah.
In another case, an Airbus A319 used on domestic routes had slide checks overdue by over three months. A third case involved a plane where the inspection was two days late.
“The above cases indicate that aircraft were operated with expired or unverified emergency equipment, which is a violation of standard airworthiness and safety requirements,” the DGCA report stated.
The report also said Air India failed to respond on time to DGCA’s queries on the issue, which “further evidenc[ed] weak procedural control and oversight.”
Air India, which was acquired by the Tata Group from the government in 2022, said in a statement that it was “accelerating” verification of all maintenance records, including escape slide checks, and expected to finish the process soon.
In one case, Air India said the issue came to light after an AI Engineering Services engineer “inadvertently deployed an escape slide during maintenance.”
The DGCA and Airbus did not respond to requests for comment from Reuters.
Vibhuti Singh, a former legal expert at India’s Aircraft Accident Investigation Bureau, said checks on escape slides are “a very serious issue. In case of accident, if they don’t open, it can lead to serious injuries.”
The DGCA report said aircraft that miss mandatory inspections have their airworthiness certificates “deemed suspended.”
The warning notices and report were issued by Animesh Garg, deputy director of airworthiness, and were addressed to Air India CEO Campbell Wilson, as well as the airline’s continuing airworthiness manager, quality manager and head of planning.
An Indian aviation lawyer told Reuters such breaches often lead to monetary and civil penalties for both the airline and individual executives.
Wilson said in a 2023 interview with Reuters that global parts shortages were affecting most airlines, but the problem was “more acute” for Air India, whose “product is obviously a lot more dated,” with many aircraft not updated since 2010-2011.
‘Systemic control failure’
The DGCA report said some Air India aircraft inspected by officials also had outdated registration paperwork. Air India told Reuters that all but one of its aircraft met the required standards and said this “poses no impact” to safety.
The report criticised the airline’s internal oversight systems, stating: “Despite prior notifications and identified deficiencies, the organisation’s internal quality and planning departments failed to implement effective corrective action, indicating systemic control failure.”
India’s junior aviation minister told parliament in February that airlines were fined or warned in 23 cases over safety violations last year. Of these, 12 involved Air India and Air India Express. One case involved “unauthorised entry into cockpit”, and the biggest fine – $127,000 – was imposed on Air India for “insufficient oxygen on board” during a San Francisco-bound flight.
Air India’s Chairman N Chandrasekaran addressed employees on Monday, calling on staff to remain focused amid criticism following last week’s crash and said the incident should serve as a catalyst to build a safer airline.
(With inputs from Reuters)
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Pro and anti-assisted dying campaigners protest ahead of a parliamentary decision later today, on June 20, 2025 in London.
UK MPs are set to hold a key vote on assisted dying on Friday, which could either advance or halt a proposed law that would allow terminally ill adults to end their lives under strict conditions.
The vote follows several hours of debate in the House of Commons and will decide whether the Terminally Ill Adults (End of Life) Bill moves to the House of Lords for further scrutiny or is dropped altogether.
As MPs gather for the third reading — their final opportunity to debate the bill’s content — demonstrators from both sides of the issue are expected outside parliament.
“This is about real people facing the prospect of a painful and undignified death either for themselves or a loved one,” said MP Kim Leadbeater, who is leading the bill. “The injustice and inhumanity of the status quo means we cannot wait any longer to offer them the hope of a better death.”
The legislation would apply to adults in England and Wales with an incurable illness and fewer than six months to live.
It would require patients to administer the life-ending medication themselves, with approval needed from two doctors and a panel of experts.
If passed, the law would bring England and Wales in line with other countries that permit some form of assisted dying.
Concerns and changes
Supporters of the bill say it would offer more protection and choice to people nearing the end of life. Opponents argue it could put pressure on vulnerable individuals.
The Royal College of Psychiatrists has raised concerns, stating last month that it had “serious concerns” about safeguarding people with mental illness, and said it could not support the bill in its current form.
MPs initially backed the bill by 330 votes to 275 in November. Since then, changes have been made, including a ban on advertising assisted dying and provisions allowing health workers to opt out of taking part.
The current vote comes as several MPs have shifted their stance, and political parties are allowing a free vote. The outcome remains uncertain.
Vote tally and next steps
An ITV News tally of about half of all MPs suggests 153 support the change, 141 are opposed, 21 remain undecided and another 21 are expected to abstain.
Both the House of Commons and the House of Lords must pass the bill before the end of the current parliamentary year, likely in the autumn, for it to become law.
If approved and granted royal assent, assisted dying services would not begin for at least four years.
Legal and regional developments
The government’s impact assessment, published this month, estimates that 160 to 640 assisted deaths could occur in the first year of implementation, rising to about 4,500 by the tenth year.
Prime minister Keir Starmer is expected to support the bill, but some cabinet members, including the health and justice secretaries, have spoken against it.
Assisted suicide is currently punishable by up to 14 years in prison in England, Wales and Northern Ireland.
Separate legislation is being considered in Scotland, and the Isle of Man passed an assisted dying bill in March, becoming the first British territory to do so.
(With inputs from agencies)
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Zhenhao Zou, 28, was jailed on Thursday after being found guilty of multiple offences. (Photo: Reuters)
A CHINESE postgraduate student convicted of drugging and raping 10 women in the UK and China has been sentenced to life imprisonment by a London court.
Zhenhao Zou, 28, was jailed on Thursday after being found guilty of multiple offences. Police say there is evidence he may have targeted more than 50 other women.
Zou targeted young Chinese women, inviting them to his flat in London under the pretext of studying or having drinks, before drugging and assaulting them. He filmed nine of the rapes using hidden or handheld cameras. Only three of the 10 victims have been identified so far.
‘Planned and executed a campaign of rape’
Sentencing him at Inner London Crown Court, Judge Rosina Cottage said there was “no doubt that you planned and executed a campaign of rape” that had caused “devastating and long term effects”.
She said that while Zou appeared “well to do, ambitious and charming”, this image masked a “sexual predator”. He had treated his victims “callously” as “sex toys” for his own gratification, she said, and posed a “risk for an indefinite period” due to his desire to assert “power and control over women”.
Zou, wearing a dark suit and glasses, listened to the sentence via a translator. He will serve a minimum of 22 years, taking into account time already spent in custody.
A former engineering student at University College London, Zou was found guilty in March of 28 offences. These included 11 counts of rape, three counts of voyeurism, one count of false imprisonment, three counts of possessing butanediol with intent to commit a sexual offence, and 10 counts of possessing an extreme pornographic image.
He raped three women in London and seven in China between 2019 and 2023. Two of the rape charges related to one woman.
Victims speak of trauma
Several victims gave impact statements during the sentencing, describing the psychological effects they continue to suffer. These include nightmares, self-harm, and isolation.
One woman said she remembered “wandering like a trapped animal trying to find an exit” after the attack.
“What happened that night is etched into my soul forever,” she said. She added that Zou’s family was “very powerful in China” and that she feared he would “seek revenge”.
Police appeal for more victims to come forward
After the sentencing, Saira Pike from the Crown Prosecution Service said Zou was a “serial rapist and a danger to women”.
“His life sentence reflects the heinous acts and harm he caused to women and the danger he posed to society,” she said.
She said that analysis of footage and online chats had shown the former student’s “meticulous planning and the horrifying execution of his crimes”. Pike also praised the “courageous women” who came forward and whose evidence, along with Zou’s own videos, helped secure his conviction.
Since his conviction, 24 women have come forward following an international police appeal, saying they believe they may have been assaulted by Zou.
The Metropolitan Police believe there may be more victims and have appealed for them to come forward.
Commander Kevin Southworth said, “Our investigation remains open and we continue to appeal to anyone who may think they have been a victim of Zou.”
“Please come forward and speak with our team – we will treat you with empathy, kindness and respect.”
Zou also studied in Belfast, Northern Ireland, in 2017.