The 18-year-old victim of Michael Phillips was a virgin before he raped her.

In an exclusive interview with us, the language student from Germany told how 20 minutes of terror had left mental scars that will stay with her for the rest of her life.

She summed up her feelings towards Phillips in a single sentence: "He is a pig - he is not human."

She told how his vile attack had destroyed her feelings for a city she had fallen in love with.

For 11 days before the attack, she had enjoyed herself in Brighton, going out most nights with friends to pubs and clubs and in the daytime visiting tourist spots and shops.

She holds no grudges against England and has friends here. But she is adamant: "I will never return to Brighton.

"I would be too frightened and nervous about meeting his friends or anyone connected with him."

Her parents sat close to her as she told how she had felt Phillips's presence in the court as she gave evidence.

She testified behind a screen, out of Phillips's sight, but knew he was there.

His not guilty plea in the face of overwhelming evidence obliged her to travel back to Britain to relive her ordeal and give graphic details to Lewes Crown Court.

It was something Phillips had not banked on when he attacked her, believing a foreign student would not have the courage to return to appear in court.

But she was determined he should be brought to justice and stopped from making further attacks.

She said: "I could sense he was there in the court but it was not going to stop me.

"I was determined to go through with it. I wanted to be sure no other girls would be assaulted.

"The fact he made me come back to testify made me feel even more anger towards him.

"But I don't feel angry about the English or England. I know there are people like Phillips in every country.

"And there are very good people in England. My host family in Brighton and the police, especially the liaison officer (Detective Constable Mel Oakley) were very nice."

Her mother was philosophical. She said: "What happened to my daughter could have happened anywhere in the world.

"In a way, if it had to happen it was better in Brighton than in our home town because she would have been too frightened to live in our community now."

Phillips thought she was an easy target, that foreign students would not cause him as many problems as locals and that he had a better chance of getting away with it.

Born and bred in Brighton, Phillips left school at 16 and worked as a barman and a security officer before applying to become a parking attendant in the city. He was undergoing training at the time of the offence.

Separated from his partner and their child, Phillips was living with his mother in Plymouth Avenue, Bevendean, just a short distance from the scene of the attack.

Police believe he targeted the foreign student and stalked her, perhaps from the Old Steine, where they boarded the same late-night bus to Bevendean.

It was similar to a sex attack in July last year.

Then, a 17-year-old foreign student got off a late-night bus and was confronted by a man as she walked in Natal Road, Brighton.

She first handed over £30 but was grabbed by the robber who then forced her to perform a sex act.

Police may question Phillips about this offence.

It was Detective Constable Sharon Scott, who had previous dealings with Phillips, who first suggested his name to the team investigating the Bevendean rape.

Detective Inspector Fiona Grant, heading the operation, said: "It was a fantastic lead which helped us arrest Phillips early."

Pieces of the jigsaw slotted into place: Phillips's mobile phone found at the scene; a positive DNA match; and inconsistencies in his story.

The victim pointing him out in an identity parade completed the picture.

Miss Grant was full of admiration for the victim. She said: "She was determined to come back to Britain and see justice done."

Phillips said nothing during interviews but police will remember those face-to-face encounters. Miss Grant said: "None of us will forget his staring, creepy, eyes."

She said tens of thousands of foreign students came to Sussex every year and left having enjoyed a trouble-free visit.

She added: "This type of offence is, fortunately, very rare."

Detective Sergeant Dominic O'Brien, who worked on the case, called Phillips "a dangerous, predatory menace" who needed to be taken off the streets.

He said: "The victim, through her bravery, helped us achieve that."