A woman has told a jury how she was subjected to a terrifying sex ordeal as she walked home from a Brighton nightclub.

She claimed she was knocked over and indecently assaulted as she walked across The Level.

Andrew Thompson, 35, of Thompson Road, Brighton, denies carrying out a "degrading" attack on the woman, who cannot be named for legal reasons.

Yesterday, Lewes Crown Court heard the woman claim she was knocked to the floor and forced to take part in a sexual act.

The attack is alleged to have taken place in 1998 but Thompson was not arrested until this year after DNA left at the scene was matched to his.

He had given a sample to police investigating a different matter, which the court heard "came to nothing".

Prosecuting, David Enoch told the jury: "There is no dispute in this case that it was the defendant's DNA."

Thompson denies a single count of indecent assault and claims the woman consented.

He said they had met before the episode and had walked into the park together before they started kissing.

The alleged victim told the jury she had been to the Hobgoblin pub in London Road and then went to the nearby Gloucester nightclub.

She was walking home alone through the park after leaving the club at around 1.45am when the alleged attack happened.

She said after the attack he just walked away. She reported the incident to the police the next day, the court heard.

The case continues.