A Cheam man who raped an “extremely vulnerable” 16-year-old girl and exploited her by encouraging her to perform on adult web-cam sites after supplying her with drugs, has today been convicted.

Jason Vasan, 32, of Burdon Lane, Cheam, was found guilty of two counts of rape, two counts of causing child pornography, six counts of taking indecent images of a child, and one count of possessing an extreme pornographic image, at Croydon Crown Court today, following a two-week trial .

He also pleaded guilty to one count of supplying cannabis and was found not guilty of two counts of rape.

A detective who investigated the case described it as a “shocking case of child sexual exploitation”.

Officers from the Met Police’s Sexual Offences, Exploitation and Child Abuse Command (SOECA) were first made aware that Vasan might be exploiting girls under the age of 18 by encouraging them to perform on adult web-cam sites with the promise of making money in July 2015.

After further enquiries, officers arrested him at his home in Cheam, and seized various laptops, phones and documents.

Officers then spoke to a number of young women and girls they believed had been targeted by Vasan.

A 16-year-old girl told them she met Vasan while living in a hostel, and that he persuaded her to start working on an adult web-cam site.

Vasan established financial control over her, deciding when and how much money she would get for her appearances on the site.

He also supplied her with drugs and encouraged her to make thousands of sexually explicit images and videos which he then posted to the website.

The 16-year-old also told officers that Vasan raped her at his home in Burdon Road, Cheam.

Officers found thousands of sexually explicit images and videos on Vasan’s computers and phones, including many of the victim.

Vasan was also discovered to be receiving payments from the website and taking a cut for himself, before paying various women – including the victim – for their appearances on the website.

He was charged in October 2015 and found guilty today. He will be sentenced on January 31, 2017.

Detective Constable Danielle Power, from the Met's SOECA Command, who investigated the case said: "This is a shocking case of child sexual exploitation.

“Vasan preyed on an extremely vulnerable young girl, supplied her with drugs, caused her to be involved in child pornography and took explicit and indecent images to put onto the internet for his own financial gain.

"The victim was extremely brave and I commend her for her courage in coming to the police and supporting the successful prosecution.”

He added: “We take this type of crime extremely seriously and I hope this outcome gives others the courage to come forward as well."

More information is available for anyone who has, or knows someone who has been raped or sexually assaulted at: www.mydecision.co.uk