A trainee parking warden on trial for rape was yesterday accused of making his story up as he went along.

Michael Stanley Phillips blamed inconsistencies in statements to police on a "muddle" by his own solicitor.

But John Price, prosecuting, told him at Lewes Crown Court: "You are just making it up as you go along."

Phillips, 25, of Plymouth Road, Bevendean, Brighton, denies two counts of rape, indecent assault and robbery.

The victim, an 18-year-old German student, was attacked as she returned to her host's home in Bevendean last July.

She was taking a short-cut across parkland known as The Farm when her assailant struck.

Phillips was arrested two days later when police traced numbers from a mobile phone found at the scene.

He told the court he had lost his phone earlier in the day, having twice crossed The Farm to visit a friend.

Cross-examined by Mr Price on his original statement, which suggested he had been in the area at the time of the attack, Phillips said his solicitor, Ken Bishop, who had taken it down, "obviously didn't listen to me properly".

Mr Price told the court that after the attack Phillips had realised he had lost his phone at the scene and had gone back. The defendant denied this.

Previously, the court heard that Phillips' DNA matched that of the attacker.

Mr Price told the jury the chance of the same DNA profile recurring was one in a billion.

The defence was expected to sum up today.