Indian-origin man gets 22 years in UK for child rape, his brother recorded videos

The man behind the counter didn’t think much of it when the customer handed over the faulty device. Cracked screen. Corrupted files. Another job in a long line of everyday repairs. He logged it, placed it on the workbench, and went about his day.

Vruj Patel has been sentenced to jail for 22 years.(Metropolitan police)

But when he powered it on, the device refused to behave like a typical glitchy phone. There were hidden folders. Locked files. And then, behind a few layers of encryption, a series of videos began to surface. What he saw next wasn’t just unexpected – it was horrifying.

The grainy clips showed a young girl, visibly terrified. A man’s face flashed for a split second at the end of one of the recordings – enough to set in motion a chain of events that would expose a predator living in plain sight.

The device belonged to Kishan Patel. The man in the videos was his younger brother, Vruj. And that accidental discovery in a repair shop would unravel years of carefully hidden abuse.

That accidental discovery in 2024 began the unraveling of Vruj Patel’s double life: by day, a young man from east London; in secret, a serial sex offender who preyed on children and women, filming his crimes as if they were his own archive of horror.

On Tuesday, Patel, 26, was sentenced to 22 years in prison at Snaresbrook Crown Court after pleading guilty to a string of sexual offences dating back to 2018. His brother, Kishan Patel, 31, was also sentenced to 15 months in jail for possessing indecent images of children.

The Metropolitan Police launched their investigation after Greater Manchester Police received a third-party report on February 1 that child sexual abuse videos had been found on a device sent for repair.

Detectives quickly seized the devices and, on reviewing the videos, identified Vruj Patel as the perpetrator when his face briefly appeared at the end of one of the recordings. Further investigation uncovered more evidence, including footage of Patel raping a young woman after a university night out and voyeurism involving another girl.

Patel pleaded guilty to rape of a child under 13, assault by penetration of a child under 13, four counts of causing a child under 13 to engage in sexual activity, rape and sexual assault of a woman over 16, possession of indecent images of children, and voyeurism.

He was sentenced to 22 years in jail and placed on the UK’s sex offenders’ register for life. He will also be subject to a Sexual Harm Prevention Order and lifelong notification requirements.

Detective Sergeant Rob Blant, who led the investigation, described Patel as “a cowardly, opportunistic offender who preyed on vulnerable victims for his own sexual gratification.”

“The threat he poses to women and children has been reflected in his sentence,” he said. “This is a fantastic example of a thorough and detailed investigation by Met detectives working to support victims of the most serious offending and safeguard the wider public from a dangerous offender.”

Kishan Patel was convicted of making and possessing hundreds of indecent images of children across all categories and handed a 10-year Sexual Harm Prevention Order in addition to his prison sentence.

Police believe Patel’s offending dates back to 2018 and may have continued more recently. Detectives are appealing for further victims to come forward — particularly anyone who may have encountered Patel while children were placed in his care.

Victim-survivors in this case have received specialist support throughout the investigation and legal proceedings. Authorities are urging anyone with information to contact police online or via 101, quoting “Operation Castline.”