Serial rapist who filmed his crimes on cameras hidden in air fresheners jailed

A serial rapist who hid camera devices inside air fresheners to film his crimes has been jailed for life.

Chao Xu, 33, of Greenwich, south-east London, pleaded guilty in August to 24 sexual offences over the course of three years, including rape, sexual assault and upskirting.

On Friday, he was sentenced to life in prison with a minimum term of 14 years at Woolwich Crown Court.

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 that 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.

Xu is from China and is believed to have lived in the UK since 2013.

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.”