A serial rapist who drugged victims and placed a hidden camera in an air freshener is facing a “lengthy” jail sentence, as detectives appealed for more victims to come forward.
Chao Xu, 33, of Greenwich, south-east London, pleaded guilty to 24 sexual offences against at least 12 victims over the course of three years at a plea and trial preparation hearing at Woolwich Crown Court on Friday.
The defendant is from China and is believed to have lived in the UK since 2013.
He admitted 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 between February 2022 and June 2025.
He pleaded not guilty to one count of sexual assault and one count of assault by penetration but the Crown announced it will not be pursuing a trial on those charges and will ask for them to lie on the file.
Police were first alerted to Xu’s offending after a networking event he held at one of his home addresses in Greenwich in June.
He offered one of the women in attendance to stay in his flat to recover after she became unwell, and proceeded to rape her multiple times, the Metropolitan Police said.
Officers discovered later he had administered drugs to her which are known to cause drowsiness and incapacitation.
Police also found Xu had hidden camera devices in multiple locations, including inside an air freshener and in bathrooms, and had hundreds of intimate images and videos of women on his phone believed to have been obtained without consent.
“We are determined to seek justice for all victims and will continue to work closely with the police to review any further evidence as their investigation continues.”
Detective Chief Inspector Lewis Sanderson said: “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.
“Our investigation is ongoing and we continue to 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.”
The prosecutor told the court on Friday Xu pleaded guilty to sexual offences concerning three known complainants, three unknown complainants and, in relation to some of the counts of voyeurism, six “different” unknown complainants.
The court also heard that in relation to the charges of operating equipment beneath the clothing of another without consent – known as upskirting – the defendant used cameras at a workplace and at London Bridge underground station.
The judge, Recorder Simon Stirling, told Xu: “You have pleaded guilty to a large number of offences for which the inevitable outcome is a lengthy custodial sentence.”
He explained the defendant will be assessed by a psychologist, adding: “I make it plain that the ordering of the report is purely for the purpose of discerning whether you are dangerous under the sentencing act.”
Xu was remanded in custody ahead of his sentencing hearing at the same court on November 14.
Suzanne Crane, from the Crown Prosecution Service, said: “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, he may well have continued undetected.
“From the outset, we worked closely with the police to build a strong case. 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.
