A RAPE victim has told how her ordeal has left her "damaged and broken" as her Army officer attacker was starting a seven-year prison sentence.

The woman has been diagnosed with post-traumatic stress disorder, has had to change jobs and has rarely left the side of her family in the last 18 months.

She said she could no longer be "the fun-loving, bubbly person that I was" and could not face meeting the public in her employment, so had to swap roles.

She spoke out as Daniel Howard, from Darlington - a captain in the Royal Army Medical Corps - was locked up at Teesside Crown Court.

The 29-year-old was found guilty of raping the woman when she was a guest at his two-bedroomed flat - while his fiancée slept in the room next door.

His victim told how she never left her boyfriend's side after the attack, then moved back in with her parents when her relationship fell apart.

"I couldn't go anywhere alone," she said. "My mum had to be in the bathroom with me when she came around and washed my hair for me as I was too exhausted to do it myself.

"I still have anxiety attacks where I'll break down in tears and ring a friend crying for no reason whatsoever. This will always be part of my life that I have to learn to deal with.

"I'm still dealing with this, but it's taking longer than I thought, and I think it's always going to be there. I don't think I will ever fully recover.

"I've been on sleeping pills prescribed by the doctor for a number of months. I constantly think about what happened and often have flashbacks to that night."

She added: "I was ready to buy my own house, but so far I still don't feel confident enough to move out of my parents' house and be by myself.

"It sounds silly but I'm frightened someone will come and get me again, and no-one will know.

"I had a good job that I loved, a strong relationship, a bright future, a plan for a house, and I've taken a huge step backwards.

"I was applying for jobs in London to broaden my career, but now I can't think of anything worse. Being away from my safety net is terrifying.

"My life is still on hold. Even though I am making progress, and I'm determined to, I just feel damaged and broken."

Howard, of Lowther Drive, Darlington, was told his attack was calculated, and was criticised by the judge for a "humiliating and degrading" defence.

He claimed his DNA from intimate swabs of his victim was put there by her after she found a male sex toy he had used a week before last February's attack.

Recorder Andrew Sutcliffe, QC, told Howard: "In the face of overwhelming DNA evidence to the contrary, you continued to deny this ever happened."

The judge said: "In my view, this attempt to humiliate and denigrate your victim severely exacerbated the wrong you had already done to her.

"By using this excuse, you have demonstrated no regard for the impact this far-fetched allegation would have on her."

Paul Abrahams, defending, said: "He has achieved much in his life thus far. He has the support still of his wife and his in-laws.

"I have no doubt it will have a massive impact on his family. I would ask Your Honour to consider it was an utter moment of madness."