Chao Xu – Greenwich

A serial rapist who drugged victims and placed a hidden camera around his flat to record his evil attacks could have claimed hundreds more victims, police fear

Chinese national Chao Xu, 33, is feared to be one of the most prolific sex offenders ever investigated – with police fearing a “mammoth” number of potential victims spread across the UK and China.

The sex beast was yesterday sentenced to life with a minimum 14 years to be served behind bars at Woolwich Crown Court after pleading guilty to 24 counts involving six women.

Police were first alerted to recruitment specialist Xu’s offending after a networking event he held at one of his home addresses in Greenwich in June, saw him repeatedly rape a guest after she became unwell.

Officers subsequently discovered that he had drugged his victim and then filmed the attack on hidden camera devices scattered in multiple locations around his home – including inside a bathroom air freshener.

Shocked officers seized his mobile phone and unearthed over 30,000 intimate images and videos of unsuspecting women.

That led to a huge Metropolitan Police investigation into the high-flying businessman Xu which led to him admitting four counts of rape, eight counts of assault by penetration, four counts of sexual assault, two counts of administering substances with intent, four counts of voyeurism, and two counts of upskirting.

Two additional counts will remain on file which relate to a seventh victim.

But police believe these crimes could represent the “tip of the iceberg” for what they say is one of the most prolific sex attackers in Met history. Women who fear they may have fallen victim are now being urged to contact the police.

Xu, who came to the UK in 2013 on a student visa, used his trusted position to host events for students at Greenwich University and Kings College, London, along with professional networks to target women over several years, presenting himself as a trusted figure while committing calculated and devastating crimes.

He hosted networking events at his home, which were used as cover for his predatory behaviour.

There Xu would supply alcohol and a cocktail which he dubbed the ‘Spring of Life’. These contained a mixture of alcohols and Chinese herbal medicines, intended to stupefy guests.

However, he was snared following a networking event when he assaulted a guest after administering drugs.

When the victim regained consciousness, she recalled parts of the attack, including Xu filming on his mobile device. Still at the property, she called 999 and officers arrived within 12 minutes to arrest Xu at the scene.

When reviewing the phone, it became obvious that Xu had drugged and raped women while they were unconscious or incapacitated and filmed his attacks using covert cameras hidden throughout his property.

When searching the property, officers discovered multiple surveillance devices in his bathroom, bedroom and wardrobe, thousands of images and videos on his devices, alongside suspicious substances.

Analysis of this material revealed a deeply disturbing pattern of offending that spanned several years.

Detectives have so far identified seven victims of serious sexual assault, three of whom have been traced and are receiving specialist support.

Four remain unidentified. However, the scale of offending is far greater.

Investigators believe there are hundreds more victims of voyeurism, upskirting and potentially contact sexual offences, both in the UK and in China.

Xu’s crimes extended beyond his Greenwich address to workplaces, public spaces and overseas, exploiting trust and familiarity to conceal his actions.

Since the Met launched an appeal in August, 11 additional women have come forward. Detectives continue to investigate these reports and anticipate further disclosures as the next phase of the investigation begins.

This phase involves reviewing an enormous volume of digital evidence recovered from Xu’s devices, including six million WeChat messages, thousands of images and videos, his search history and other material that may identify further victims.

This is understood to be one of the largest digital forensic undertakings the Met has ever faced.

As part of their investigation it is understood detectives bugged Xu’s cell as he was held on remand with fellow Chinese serial rapist Zhenhao Zou, 28.

The evil duo were put together so their conversations could be recorded at Belmarsh Jail and then transcribed from Mandarin into English.

PhD student Zou, like Xu, targeted women in the capital’s Chinese student community, drugging his victims before filming himself raping them.

The son of a Chinese Communist Party official, was jailed for 24 years in June for raping ten women.

Zou, who hoarded personal items from his victims, is suspected of preying on 60 more

The judge told Xu: “Your behaviour was calculated and planned, evidenced by the covert recording systems you had set up in your flats and the fact you had incapacitated a number of your victims by drugging them.

“You betrayed the trust of a number of women who you befriended in the most appalling ways imaginable.”

Judge Grout added that any possible deportation to China was a “matter for the Home Office”.

Wearing a navy jacket and a green t-shirt, Xu showed no reaction as he was sentenced.

In an impact statement read out to the court by Ms Farrelly, one victim said they feared becoming pregnant or getting an STI after being raped by Xu.

Discussing the attack, the woman said: “I couldn’t open my eyes or mouth nor could I move my body.

“I felt everything that he did: pulling my dress off, pulling my tights and underwear off and touching me intimately. I was horrified.

“I could just see through my eyes every now and then that he had his phone out and just knew he was taking photos and possibly videos of me.

“I’m terrified the videos he took of me that evening could have been sent on the internet.”

Another victim said they were still afraid of Xu, adding: “He has become a shadow in my heart”.