Exeter students viciously assaulted
Two Exeter students were subjected to a horrific attack on Ship Street on Friday night leaving one with substantial facial injuries and permanent scarring.
The attack took place at 11.40pm on Friday as the two students, Josh Lowe, a second year PPE student and his friend Jon Knott, a second year Classicist, were walking along Ship Street on their way to the Purple Turtle nightclub.
The pair stopped to write in the dirt on the back of a red van parked outside QI Café.
As they wrote the words 'Jesus loves to rave' on the rear window, the owner of the van approached from behind and thrust Knott's head through the rear window.
The shower of glass caused extensive damage to Lowe's face.
The man then shouted abuse at them for their 'vandalism' of his vehicle.
Lowe says he responded: "It is not vandalism, look at what you have done to my face" to which the man allegedly replied: "I've done a lot worse than that in my time."
The two second years told The Oxford Student the police arrived, "incredibly quickly" and arrested the attacker while Lowe was taken to the John Radcliffe Hospital in Headington and received stitches on his nose, right cheek and right cheekbone.
He was discharged at 3am. Doctors say he will be left with permanent scarring on the right-hand side of his face, although it is expected to fade over time.
Speaking to The Oxford Student on Saturday Lowe expressed his shock at the events.
"The guy who attacked me is obviously a nutter; I was just in the wrong place at the wrong time," he said.
On Saturday morning the scene of the incident was still strewn with broken glass while a long trail of blood led back up towards Turl Street.
The red van, though unmarked, appeared to be that of a tradesman, with tools, paintbrushes, solvents and a battery pack visible through the broken window.
The van had also been issued a penalty notice for parking illegally.
A worker at QI, who refused to give his name, warned the van's owner was on the premises but a policeman who arrived to inspect the scene at around midday on Saturday confirmed the suspect had been held overnight and was being questioned at St Aldate's Police station that morning.
Home Bursar of Exeter College Eric Bennett said: "It is pretty awful to think that something like this could happen so close to the college."
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He also described Lowe and Knott as, "respectable members of the college" saying he was shocked at the incident.
A Thames Valley Police spokeswoman confirmed that a 25-year-old man, who cannot be named for legal reasons, had been arrested on suspicion of committing grievous bodily harm.
The man has been questioned and released on police bail pending further inquiries. He must return on 26th February.
27th Jan 2005