A Chinese national living and working in London is facing years in prison after admitting drugging women so that he could sexually assault and rape them.
Chao Xu, 33, a university graduate and recruitment firm boss, appeared in the dock on Friday to admit 24 charges, including rapes, sexual assault, administering a substance with intent and voyeurism.
The Metropolitan Police said Xu had hidden cameras at his home in Greenwich, and had used them to secretly film women.
Xu has admitted offences against a total of 12 women spanning three years. But the Met has launched an appeal to find further victims, believing Xu’s offending may be much more widespread over the course of several years.
The case is strikingly similar to the recent news about Zhenhao Zou, a PhD student at UCL who is now serving a life sentence for drugging and plying with alcohol ten women so that he could rape them.
Zou, who hailed from a wealthy Chinese family, filmed many of his attacks, and the Met said it is believed there are dozens of victims in London and China who have yet to be identified.
Xu moved to the UK in 2013, he was previously a student at the University of Greenwich, and then went on to establish his own recruitment business.
He was first charged in June, after a woman who attended a networking event at one of Xu’s homes told police she had fallen ill.
Xu offered her the chance to stay and recover, the force said, but then went on to rape her multiple times.
It was then discovered that the woman had been drugged by Xu, with a substance designed to cause drowsiness and incapacitation.
Detectives trawled his home to uncover hidden cameras inside an air freshener and within bathrooms, and a trawl of Xu’s electronic devices revealed his collection of images and videos of women.
He had also made upskirting videos, including at London Bridge station and at his place of work, Woolwich crown court heard.
With his guilty pleas, Xu admitted sexual offences against three women whose identities are known to investigators, and three women who are not yet identified. He also confessed to voyeurism involving six other women, none of whom have been identified.
The Met said its detectives are looking through thousands of images on Xu’s devices, but already “believe the scale of his offending could be even bigger and are making a direct appeal for any victim-survivors who have not yet been identified to come forward and seek specialist support”.
“Xu is 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” said Detective Chief Inspector Lewis Sanderson.
“Our investigation is ongoing and we continue examine the large amount of evidence we have collected, which will help identify any further potential victim-survivors.
“We’re also asking anyone who has any information about Xu or believes they may have been a victim, to come forward – you will be listened to. I want to reassure anyone impacted that you are not alone and can seek specialist support and guidance, not only from the police, but also from independent charities and services.”
Suzanne Crane, of the Crown Prosecution Service, added that Xu poses “a serious danger to women”.
“The evidence included disturbing images and videos recovered from Xu’s phone, hidden cameras, and substances commonly used to spike drinks found at his home.
“This overwhelming evidence led to his guilty pleas today.”
Xu was remanded into custody and is due to be sentenced on November 14.
Scotland Yard has set up contact portals in English, Mandarin and Cantonese for potential victims to come forward.
Xu pleaded guilty to four counts of rape, eight counts of assault by penetration, four counts of sexual assault, four counts of voyeurism, two counts of administering a substance with intent, and two counts of operating equipment beneath the clothing of another without consent.
A judge order psychological assessments of Xu, but told him a lengthy prison term is inevitable.
