How one of the UK’s worst sex offenders was finally caught

Chao Xu, one of the UK's most prolific sex offenders, was apprehended after a victim he drugged and sexually assaulted at his Greenwich flat was not fully incapacitated. The 33-year-old had offered the woman a drink named "The Spirit of Life," which he had secretly laced with GHB and Scopolamine.

While she was partially conscious, she witnessed Xu filming her assault and, upon regaining full awareness, confronted him and alerted the police. Officers arrived shortly after the victim's 999 call and were granted access to Xu's phone.

A digital forensic analysis of the device uncovered a trove of disturbing videos and images detailing years of sexual abuse. Xu had employed hidden cameras in his flat and workplace to film women and had also engaged in upskirting hundreds of women on public transport, particularly at London Bridge tube station.

Xu, who had moved to the UK in 2016 and worked in recruitment, had been operating undetected for years. He pleaded guilty to 24 sex offenses against at least 12 victims, including rape, assault by penetration, sexual assault, voyeurism, and administering drugs with intent.

He was sentenced to life imprisonment with a minimum term of 14 years, with the judge describing him as an "incredibly dangerous man" who took "great enjoyment" from his calculated and planned offending. The investigation revealed that Xu exploited professional networking events and social gatherings as cover for his predatory behavior.

He used drugs to incapacitate victims and covertly recorded his assaults. Authorities believe he may have many more victims, potentially hundreds, both in the UK and overseas, and are urging anyone who suspects they may have been a victim to come forward.

The investigation remains ongoing.