Chao Xu, a 33-year-old Chinese national residing in London since 2013, has been identified as a calculated and prolific sex offender following a detailed investigation by the Metropolitan Police Service. On 29 August 2025, Xu pleaded guilty at Woolwich Crown Court to 24 counts of serious sexual offences involving six women. These charges encompassed rape, digital penetration, sexual assault, administering a substance with intent to commit a sexual offence, and voyeurism. The offences, which detectives believe spanned several years, involved Xu preying on unsuspecting women through deceptive and cowardly tactics.
The investigation began in June 2025 after a woman reported an incident at a networking event hosted by Xu at his home in Greenwich. During the event, the victim became unwell, and Xu offered her a place to recover in his flat. There, he raped her multiple times after administering drugs known to cause drowsiness and incapacitation. Police analysis of Xu's digital devices revealed the full extent of his criminal activities, including hundreds of intimate images and videos of women obtained without consent. Officers discovered hidden camera devices in various locations, such as inside an air freshener and bathrooms, used to secretly record victims.
Detective Chief Inspector Lewis Sanderson, leading the investigation, described Xu as a 'calculated prolific sex offender, who has preyed on unsuspecting women using cowardly methods - administering drugs to rape, sexually assault and take intimate images without consent.' The probe uncovered evidence of offences against multiple victims, with Xu initially arrested on 1 June 2025 on suspicion of digital penetration and charged on 3 June with 17 counts relating to one victim. Further charges on 23 July added six counts involving five additional women. Thousands of images and videos are still being examined, suggesting the scale of Xu's offending may be even larger.
Suzanne Crane from the Crown Prosecution Service highlighted the severity of Xu's actions, stating: 'Chao Xu deliberately drugged women to render them unconscious and vulnerable, enabling him to rape and sexually assault them without their knowledge. Xu is a serious danger to women, and the scale of his offending is such that without the brave testimony of victims, who came forward after realising what had happened to them, may well have continued undetected.' The evidence included disturbing images and videos from Xu's phone, hidden cameras, and substances used to spike drinks found at his home, leading to his guilty pleas.
Following his conviction, Xu remains remanded in custody ahead of sentencing scheduled for 14 November 2025 at Woolwich Crown Court. The Metropolitan Police continue their investigation, appealing for further victims or witnesses to come forward to ensure justice is served comprehensively.