A sex offender from East London, described as “cowardly and opportunistic,” has been sentenced to over 22 years in prison for the rape and assault of a child under the age of 13. Following this ruling, authorities have requested that any additional victims come forward.

Vruj Patel, 26, came under investigation by the Metropolitan Police after child sex abuse videos were discovered on a mobile phone that had been sent in for repairs.

Residing on Selsdon Road in Plaistow, Patel admitted to 17 charges in August and received his sentence at Snaresbrook Crown Court on Tuesday.

His brother, Kishnan Patel, who shares the same address, accepted guilt in June for four offenses involving the creation and possession of indecent images of minors. He was sentenced to 15 months in prison by the same court.

Vruj Patel’s charges include the rape of a child under 13, penetration of a child under 13, and four counts of inducing a child under 13 to engage in sexual activities, as well as possession of indecent images and voyeurism.

Additionally, he was sentenced for the rape of a woman over 16 and for sexually assaulting another victim through penetration.

Vruj Patel has been placed on an indefinite sex offenders’ register, while his brother Kishnan will be subject to a 10-year sexual harm prevention order.

All reported offenses against the children are believed to have occurred in 2018, but the voyeurism incidents are thought to have begun earlier. Authorities are concerned that Vruj Patel may have continued his abusive behavior until recently.

The Metropolitan Police have indicated that he may have abused other children, potentially within his residence, and they have urged the public for any information regarding additional offenses or victims.

Detective Sergeant Rob Blant stated: “Patel is a cowardly, opportunistic criminal who has targeted vulnerable individuals for his own sexual pleasure.”

He further emphasized, “Dedicated professional teams across London are committed to thoroughly investigating those who perpetrate crimes against vulnerable members of the community and ensuring that they are brought to justice.”

Vruj Patel was taken into custody on February 1 after evidence of child abuse videos surfaced from a phone belonging to Kishnan Patel.

Although Kishnan’s devices were confiscated, it soon became apparent that Vruj appeared in the videos, as detectives managed to identify him when his face was briefly visible at the conclusion of one video depicting the abuse.

Investigators subsequently uncovered additional images and videos showing Vruj Patel raping a young woman after a university outing and committing voyeurism involving a young girl.

Vruj Patel had recorded himself engaging in various offenses against the victims, making it possible for officers to identify him through his clothing and jewelry.

The victims involved in this case have received specialized support from police throughout the entire investigation and court proceedings, as noted by the Metropolitan Police.