A woman who claims she was attacked by a Hampshire man accused of a 1979 murder has told a court how the case has haunted her for decades.

Giving evidence during the trial of Paul Taylor, who is accused of killing Sally McGrath, 22, along with a series of historic sex attacks, the woman told how she too was a victim.

The woman, who cannot be named for legal reasons, made a complaint to the police shortly after Miss McGrath's death.

Taylor was charged with attempted rape but acquitted by a jury after she changed her account in court.

Giving evidence at Chelmsford Crown Court, she described how she had been offered money by Taylor's family if she dropped the case. She eventually agreed in order to protect his children, she said.

She added: ''I have had 32 years of nightmares, of anger and horrible things for what he did to me.

''I feel for all the girls who went through what I went through and worse.''

The woman had earlier described how Taylor had violently attacked her before attempting to rape her in the back of a lorry.

She added that she did not know Miss McGrath and only became aware of her because of news reports about her disappearance.

Refuting suggestions that she had lied about the attempted rape, she added: ''I'm going to hold my head up high and talk about it.''

Miss McGrath was found naked in a shallow grave in woodland near Peterborough in March 1980 after vanishing in July 1979.

Her killer could not be found despite a major police investigation.

Taylor, now 60, was questioned over the murder at the time but never charged.

The former soldier and builder, originally from Peterborough and now living in Fareham,was arrested last year after a fresh investigation.

Taylor was charged with Miss McGrath's murder along with three counts of rape, one attempted rape, a serious sexual assault and an indecent assault.

The sexual offences relate to three different women. He denies all of the charges.

The case continues.