Exeter University student admits having fake gun on campus

Yihe Xiong will be sentenced next week

A student who sparked a massive armed police response when he took a fake gun on to a university campus has been told he faces being jailed.

Yihe Xiong, 25, a postgraduate student from China, took the replica firearm on to the University of Exeter's Streatham campus in Devon on 19 June.

Parts of the campus were evacuated as news of the incident spread.

At Exeter Crown Court, Xiong admitted possession of an imitation firearm with intent to cause fear of violence.

Armed police were called to the university after reports of a "man making threats, whilst in possession of a handgun".

The incident sparked a massive armed police response

Witnesses reported officers "stormed into the Amory building", a centre for humanities on the Streatham campus.

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Xiong, of Bonhay Road, Exeter, was arrested and the weapon seized although police said it was not a "viable firearm".

Sentencing was adjourned until Tuesday for a pre-sentence report to be carried out.

Judge Peter Johnson told him: "This is a very serious matter. You should put your affairs in order and come on Tuesday expecting a custodial sentence."