A KNIFEPOINT robber in a skeleton mask left an 18-year-old first year university student fearing for her life after he attacked her outside a closed-down police station.

The terrified woman handed over her bag to crack cocaine addict Owen Drew outside Exeter’s St Luke’s campus, which is directly opposite the city’s former main police station in Heavitree Road.

The station has remained empty since being shut in April 2020, when its operations were moved to a new building at police headquarters at Middlemoor, on the outskirts of the city.

Drew came up behind two young students who were in their first term at Exeter on the night of November 6 and pulled a knife before demanding that one of them hand over the bag.

He then fled on foot and was arrested in a shop 500 metres away where he had just used her contactless bank card to buy cigarettes. He still had the horror mask around his neck and was armed with a knife and a hammer.

Homeless Drew, aged 28, admitted robbery and was jailed for three years and two months by Judge Anna Richardson at Exeter Crown Court.

Miss Felicity Payne, prosecuting, said the victim had written an impact statement which told how she had been terrified at the time, been shaky for a day afterwards, and is no frightened to go out after dark.

Drew was given permission to read out a letter or apology in court in which he said: “I have likely destroyed a young lady’s life and her higher education because of a moment of madness. The truth is that my drug problem has destroyed my life.”

Mr Warren Robinson, defending, said Drew has worked as a scaffolder until becoming addicted to drugs and had then lost his job, his home and his family. He was living rough and was desperate for money to buy drugs when he carried out the robbery.

He is now tackling his addiction in prison and has shown true remorse and understanding of the damage he has done.