A VULNERABLE woman was raped in a secluded area of Brighton’s most popular gay club.

The 23-year-old victim from Hove was attacked in Revenge club in Old Steine on January 6.

Sussex Police only publicly appealed for witnesses yesterday 117 days after the incident took place.

The force said it had spent the last few months carrying out “exhaustive inquiries” to try and identify the suspect.

The victim was on a night out with friends when she met a man.

He led her to a darker and more secluded area of the nightclub before forcing himself on her.

Detective Constable Vicky Lofts said: “Although it has been several months since the victim was raped, we are no less determined to identify and arrest the man responsible.

“We need to speak to the man in the CCTV as he could have important information about what happened.

“We would also still like to speak to anyone who was in Revenge on January 6 who we have not yet spoken to and who saw something happen inside Revenge that they did not think was appropriate.

“If you know who he is or where he is, please contact us."

Police said in the intervening months detectives had been tracking down people who were in the club that night and finding CCTV of him.

Fabia Bates, director of Brighton-based rape charity Survivors Network, said: “My understanding is that one reason the police would not immediately issue such a CCTV image would be to avoid the suspect absconding, and that they would explore other avenues to find them first.

“However without knowing the details of a case I wouldn’t want to second guess their motivation. For the same reason it would be hard to determine conclusively what the public protection risk would be.”

Anyone with information on the case should email 101@sussex.pnn.police.uk quoting serial 1122 of January 16, call 101 or contact the independent charity Crimestoppers anonymously on 0800 555111.