Draft:Chao Xu (Rapist )

Chao Xu
Chao Xu mugshot in 2025
Born	(1992-02-18)February 18, 1992 China
Education	Law postgraduate, University of Greenwich
Occupation	Recruitment business owner(formerly)
Years active	2021–2025
Known for	Convicted serial rapist and sexual offender in England
Criminal status	Imprisoned
Convictions	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 to commit a sexual offence; two counts of operating equipment beneath another person's clothing without consent (upskirting)
Criminal penalty	Life imprisonment (minimum term of 14 years)
Details
Victims	Six identified victims; police believe there may be hundreds of additional victims in the United Kingdom and China.
Imprisoned at	HM Prison Belmarsh

Chao Xu (born 18 February 1992) is a Chinese serial rapist convicted in England of multiple sexual offences, including rape, assault by penetration, sexual assault, voyeurism, administering a substance with intent to commit a sexual offence, and operating equipment beneath another person's clothing without consent (upskirting). In November 2025, he was sentenced to life imprisonment with a minimum term of 14 years after pleading guilty to 24 offences committed against six women. Police have described Xu as one of the most prolific sexual offenders they have investigated and believe there may be numerous additional victims.

Early life and education

Xu was born in China on 18 February 1992. He moved to the United Kingdom in 2013 to pursue postgraduate study at the University of Greenwich. After completing his studies, he established a recruitment business in London that assisted Chinese graduates and international students in obtaining employment in the United Kingdom. Prosecutors later alleged that he used networking events organised through these professional connections to identify and target victims.

Criminal investigation

The Metropolitan Police investigation began in June 2025 after a woman reported that she had been drugged and sexually assaulted following a networking event hosted by Xu at his Greenwich residence. Detectives executed search warrants at his home, discovering covert recording devices concealed within household items including air fresheners, speakers, sanitary product packaging and other everyday objects. Officers also recovered computers, mobile telephones and digital storage devices containing thousands of images and videos. According to police, forensic examination revealed extensive recordings of women who appeared to be unconscious or heavily incapacitated. Toxicological evidence indicated that Xu had administered substances including gamma-hydroxybutyrate (GHB) and scopolamine to some victims before sexually assaulting them. Investigators also recovered approximately six million WeChat messages and a large quantity of digital evidence, which continues to be examined in an effort to identify further victims.

Offences

Xu pleaded guilty to offences committed between February 2022 and June 2025. His convictions comprised 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 to commit a sexual offence, and two counts of operating equipment beneath another person's clothing without consent. The prosecution stated that Xu deliberately incapacitated victims before carrying out the assaults and secretly recorded many of the offences. Police further alleged that he covertly filmed women without their knowledge in his home, at his workplace and in public locations, including London Bridge Underground station. At the time of sentencing, investigators had identified several victims but stated that the total number of victims of voyeurism and related offences could extend into the hundreds.

Trial and sentencing

Xu pleaded guilty at Woolwich Crown Court in August 2025. During sentencing proceedings in November 2025, the court heard that he had engaged in a sustained pattern of offending over several years, using his professional reputation and networking events to gain the trust of victims before drugging and sexually assaulting them. Judge Christopher Grout sentenced Xu to life imprisonment with a minimum term of 14 years, describing him as an "incredibly dangerous man" and a sexual predator whose offences involved careful planning and repeated exploitation of vulnerable victims. The Crown Prosecution Service stated that the digital evidence recovered during the investigation had played a significant role in securing his guilty pleas.

Imprisonment

Following sentencing in 2025 , Xu was committed to life imprisonment with a minimum term of 14 years.

He is held at HM Prison Belmarsh ,a high-security Category A prison in southeast London , where he shared a cell with fellow Chinese national and serial rapist Zhenhao Zou.

The Metropolitan Police has continued to investigate additional potential victims following his conviction and sentencing. Officers have stated that forensic examination of digital devices seized during the investigation remains ongoing and have issued repeated public appeals for potential victims and witnesses to come forward. The continuing investigation has resulted in Xu remaining a subject of active police enquiries following his conviction and sentencing.

See also

• Reynhard Sinaga
• Zhenhao Zou
• List of serial rapists