A university student has revealed how she was raped on New Year's Eve after her attacker spiked her drink at a party.

Melody Maxwell, 19, was celebrating with friends at a pub in Northampton on December 31 2018 when she blacked out.

The last thing she remembers is drinking prosecco as the New Year's Eve countdown played out on the speakers.

Hours later she was found stumbling around the town centre by police and woke up without her underwear in her mother's car.

CCTV showed her being led away from the pub to a grassy area behind it by a man called Obi Forgive. Forensic tests later revealed her drink was spiked and he had raped her.

The University of Manchester genetics student said: 'Officers think I was spiked as I have no memory of the night. I'm glad that I can't remember what happened.

'I don't want to be a victim, instead I want to show that you can move on from such a horrific attack.'

Melody Maxwell, 19, was celebrating with friends at a pub in Northampton on December 31 2018 when her drink was spiked and she was raped

CCTV showed her being led away from the pub to a grassy area behind it by a man called Obi Forgive (pictured). Forensic tests later revealed her drink was spiked and he had raped her

In June 2019, Forgive, 28, of London, was jailed for 11 years at Northampton Crown Court.

On Christmas Day 2018, Melody's mother Jamie, 38, a receptionist, revealed she was taking her daughter to Paris in January 2019 as her Christmas present.

Her daughter said: 'I'd always wanted to see the Eiffel Tower and the Louvre museum.'

Days later on New Year's Eve, Miss Maxwell was getting ready to go out with her friends in her home town after studying hard at university.

She said: 'We headed to a pub in a taxi and I texted Mum to let her know where we were going.

'She replied telling me to stay safe. Minutes later, I was drinking vodka and coke while singing along to Mariah Carey's All I want for Christmas is you.

'Suddenly it was the midnight countdown. My friends passed around a bottle of prosecco and I took a swig of it. That's the last thing I remember.'

At around 5am Miss Maxwell woke up in her mother's car with a blanket around her shoulders and her underwear around her ankles. Her purse, bag and phone had disappeared.

She said: 'I was panicked. Mum revealed that the police had found me stumbling around and shouting for help, and they called her.

'But I had no recollection of where I'd been. At the police station, I handed in my sparkly silver dress I'd bought especially for New Year's as well as my underwear.

'Then I gave a statement, but I couldn't give the officers any information. Back at home, I slept most of New Year's Day.'

The last thing she remembers is drinking prosecco as the New Year's Eve countdown played out on the speakers

The following morning, the teenager was called by a detective who suggested she undergo a forensic test.

At first she chose not to, wanting to put the night behind her.

But then she noticed a huge bruise on her thigh and her groin was sore.

She added: 'I called the detective back and, an hour later, I was having blood tests at Northampton General Hospital.

'That day, officers confirmed that I'd been sexually assaulted and that my drink might have been spiked.

'They had also found my phone and bag, and were investigating.

'A week later, police discovered CCTV footage of me leaving the pub with an unknown man.

'He'd led me to a grassy area behind the pub and then returned alone an hour later.'

Detectives shared an image of him in the local newspaper, hoping to identify him.

A week later, officers arrested a man after the pub bouncer had recognised him.

Miss Maxwell is pictured second left with friends. She has spoken

Miss Maxwell said: 'While I waited for the man to appear in court, I went to Paris with my mum.

'But I couldn't enjoy the trip as it was tainted with the knowledge of my attack.

'And it wasn't easy going back to university, I found it difficult to focus in lectures and some days I could barely get out of bed.

'But I worked as hard as I could and got high grades in my exams.'

In June 2019, Obi Forgive, 28, of London, appeared at Northampton Crown Court and denied raping Melody.

Investigators told the court that Forgive had searched for women who were drunk and that Melody had likely undergone a 50-minute attack.

Forgive had tried to conceal evidence of his actions by changing his clothes before returning to nearby clubs, hunting for more victims.

The judge ordered him to serve a further five years on licence and he was placed on the sex offenders' register for life.

Miss Maxwell said: 'Knowing he was finally behind bars was a relief.

'I'm just glad that I have no memories of the attack. He's never shown remorse for what he did to me, but I won't let it hold me back.

'While everyone's raising a toast at midnight on 31 December this year, I'll be asleep by 10pm. I'll never celebrate New Year again.'