A top athlete with a £500-a-week drug habit robbed a naked prostitute at knifepoint - then collapsed with a heart attack after running away.

Cocaine-fuelled Nathan Harland-Smith, 18, raided the Chinese massage parlour in Three Bridges to pay off £1,000 drug debts.

He held a knife to terrified Xiaohui Lin's neck during the drunken attack and robbed his naked victim of £79 in cash and a mobile phone.

Two accomplices also entered the two-bedroom flat at The Birches and robbed pimp Jian Chang of £240 in cash at knifepoint.

Lewes Crown Court heard that the former athlete suffered a heart attack after being arrested but was saved by a police officer at the scene.

Prosecutor Marcus Fletcher told the court how the raid took place at the brothel in a quiet residential area.

He said: "At about 1am the defendant entered the flat and went to Miss Lin's room and had a look round.

"He gave £50 in cash to Miss Lin who passed the money to Mr Chang. Afterwards he left the flat.

"Shortly after 1am, Miss Lin was in the bathroom when she saw a pair of hands at the window sill. Someone appeared to be trying to climb in.

"She shouted to Mr Chang and ran out of the bathroom to the front door to escape. She was confronted by a man with a knife and forced back into the flat.

"That man we say was Nathan Harland-Smith but two other men entered the flat and pushed Mr Chang to the floor and kicked him. All three were armed with knives.

"Mr Chang had a knife put to his neck but not by the defendant. He gave the man with the knife £240 in cash.

"The defendant, however, then took Miss Lin into the bedroom and demanded money from her.

"She gave him money from her handbag and he took her back to the living room. He made her squat down on the floor and put a knife to her neck.

"During the course of these events she was naked and one of these men touched her left breast but she could not remember which one did it."

The court heard how the trio then fled the flat but Harland-Smith was arrested after the Mr Chang dialled 999. A kitchen knife, the cash and mobile phone were found at the scene.

Mr Fletcher added: "He was arrested and placed in the police car. He became unwell and it became clear he was seriously ill and his heart had stopped.

"He was subject to emergency first aid by one of the officers at the scene until an ambulance arrived and he was taken to hospital."

Harland-Smith, of Bridgelands, Crawley Down, admitted robbery following the raid last August but no evidence was offered on a charge of aggravated burglary.

Two others were also arrested in connection with the raid but were not charged on grounds of insufficient evidence.

Defending, Rossano Scamardella told the court Harland-Smith, who had a £500-a-week cocaine habit, carried out the raid to pay off £1,000 drug debts.

He had been a leadiong athlete in the area representing teams in both track and field events.

Mr Scamardella said: "He attended the premises to use the services of the massage parlour. Two other men who had attended began to rob the premises and he joined in.

"There was no prior intention on his part but he chose to join in with this awful and frightening incident."

Judge Charles Kemp ordered Harland-Smith to be detained at a Young Offenders Institute for three years.

He told him: "What you did was ugly, boorish and no doubt fuelled by cocaine and alcohol.

"You sought out the services of a prostitute although I am not here to punish you for that. But I am here to punish you for what happened thereafter.

"Having utilized her services you then took part in a robbery with knives and terrified her while she was still naked.

Judge Kemp added: "What happened next should demonstrate to you and anyone else that taking cocaine nearly cost you your life.

"But for the services of the police and first aid representatives you might well have died there on the spot.

"If that has not bought you to your senses about the evil and pernicious effects of cocaine, then I don't know what will."