A 17-YEAR-OLD rape victim has spoken about her nightmare ordeal when she was assaulted by a man who followed her though Bolton town centre.

The brave teenager described the terrifying attack in the hope it will stop other rape victims suffering in silence and give them the courage to seek help.

She was viciously assaulted by 23-year-old Wayne Pugh, on August 5 last year. Pugh has since been jailed for the attack and is serving an indeterminate sentence.

The victim, whose identity we are protecting, said: "What happened to me is always on my mind. I'm a totally different person."

Her ordeal began when Pugh approached her on the dancefloor of the Ikon Nightclub, where she was celebrating a friend's birthday. The teenager said: "He started getting too close and saying things I didn't like.

"It was getting late so I decided the best thing to do would be to leave the club and catch a taxi home. I'd had a few drinks but I wasn't drunk. I knew what I was doing. I thought I'd be all right because the taxi rank was only across the road."

Pugh followed the girl out of the club, asking if he could catch the taxi home with her. When she refused he forced her into an alleyway and repeatedly raped her.

The teenager said: "There was no one around to help me. I tried to run but he was a lot bigger than me and I couldn't get away.

"I tried fighting him off and hitting him around the head but it was no use. He got me down on the floor. I kept saying 'no'. I was screaming and crying but he just put his hand over my mouth and carried on. I'll never forget the look on his face. He had so much anger in him."

The attack lasted for more than half an hour.

The teenager said: "I got dressed as quickly as I could, I didn't even bother putting my underwear back on and ran toward the taxi rank. He followed me, still asking if he could come home with me. I was screaming at him to leave me alone and people were looking at us.

"I managed to get into a taxi and cried my eyes out all the way home."

The following day the teenager confided in a friend who persuaded her to report the attack to the police.

She had suffered extensive bruising to her arms and legs as well as severe internal lacerations caused by the force of the attack. Pugh, who at the time of the rape was under the supervision of the probation service, after being given a suspended prison sentence in March for threats to kill his mother, was caught when his probation officer recognised him from CCTV pictures published in The Bolton News and gave his name to the police.

He was arrested while staying at a Salvation Army hostel in Duke Street, Bolton.

Pugh's guilty plea meant the teenager was spared the ordeal of going to court to give evidence.

She said: "What happened to me is always on my mind. I'm a totally different person. My confidence went but I'm trying to build it back up.

"I'm pleased with the sentence. At least now I'm the one in control and he's the one behind bars. I couldn't have carried on knowing he was walking the streets and free to do it to someone else.

"I know it's hard to go to the police and I didn't want to at first, but you've got to come forward. If you let someone get away with something like this, they'll do it again. The support I've had from the police has been brilliant."

Detective Constable Jo Lally, from Bolton Police's Public Protection Investigation Unit, who acted as the victim's police liaison officer, said: "She's been absolutely brilliant all the way through this. Although she is young in years, she is very mature in the way she deals with things.

"I am pleased with the sentence in that it gives the potential for this very dangerous man to be in prison for the rest of his life. I am sure all the agencies involved will work very hard to make sure he is kept in for as long as he will be a danger to the public."

Have you been a victim of rape. You can get call these numbers for support.

Rape and Sexual Abuse Helpline Support Centre - 020 8683 3300 Refuge National Domestic Violence Helpline - 0870 599 5443 Victim Supportline - 0845 30 30 900 or 020 7896 3776 (Textphone) Listen to her exclusive interview at