THE parents of a student who took her own life following a campaign of abuse at the hands of her former partner have condemned the university for failing to protect their daughter.

Emily Drouet, 18, committed suicide at her halls of residence at the University of Aberdeen in March 2016, following weeks of verbal, physical and psychological torment by Angus Milligan.

The 21-year-old pleaded guilty last week to three charges of assaulting the teenager in the months leading up to her death, while continuing the abuse by sending offensive and menacing text messages.

Emily's family are now demanding better protections on university campuses to prevent bullies from targeting other young women.

Her father Germain Drouet said: "The university of Aberdeen promised to take care of our daughter and it failed her.

"We are concerned that universities across the county are failing to take seriously the issue of safety.

"We see little evidence that things have changed since Emily's death and we're worked with several organisations to help ensure that women and girls living on student campuses are better protected."

Emily's parents were unaware of the abuse their daughter was suffering, and only saw an image of her bruised face after she had died.

"If she had never met Angus Milligan, she would be alive today," her mother Fiona Drouet told a Sunday newspaper "Within six months, that man destroyed our daughter and wrecked our lives. He's just complete evil.

"He was supposed to be her boyfriend but he never took her out or did anything a normal boyfriend would do. He just wore her down.

"Our beautiful daughter became a victim of domestic violence at just 18."

When the teenager returned from Aberdeen for her 18th birthday recently, Mrs Drouet instinctively knew all was not well.

She said: "I actually told her she looked as if she had lost her sparkle. Her eyes were dull. But she brushed it off, saying she was was just tired.

"That was the last time I saw her alive."

She added: "Emily was the last person you would think something like this could happen to.

"But if this can happen to our family then it could happen to another family. I can't bear the thought of another girl going through this.

"I want my daughter back but that can't happen. I need to stop this happening to another girl."

Milligan is a reportedly descendant of Andrew Carnegie, the Scottish tycoon and philanthropist, and the product of a prominent family of Edinburgh lawyers.

Professor Margaret Ross, at the University of Aberdeen, said Emily's death "was a tragedy that was deeply upsetting" for all on campus.

She added: "The university is committed to supporting any students who are experiencing difficulties during their time here; however, we must balance respecting our students' rights as independent adults with our own responsibilities to offer support.

"Having reviewed the circumstances surrounding Emily's death, we are satisfied that the level of support offered by the university prior to her death was appropriate, based on our knowledge of the circumstances at the time.

"Nonetheless,we have since carried out a review of our student support procedures, and where we have identified opportunities we have made changes to enhance the level of support available."

Milligan will be sentenced at Aberdeen Sheriff Court on July 5.