Two Men Jailed for Rape of Intoxicated Woman in County Tyrone Car Park

Two men have been sentenced to prison for the rape of a young woman in an underground car park in County Tyrone, Northern Ireland, in a case that a judge described as involving a "prolonged and humiliating ordeal."

Luis Dos Martins Mariano, 20, of Sloan Street, and Alcino Soares, 21, of Braeside, both in Dungannon, had previously entered guilty pleas to the charge of rape. They were sentenced at Downpatrick Crown Court on Thursday, where Judge Richard Green handed each man a six-year term. Under the sentence structure, three years will be served in custody, with the remaining three years spent on licence in the community.

Both defendants, who appeared before the court via video link from Hydebank prison, moved to Northern Ireland from East Timor when they were younger. A Tetum interpreter had been present during earlier proceedings to translate the prosecution's account for the two men.

The attack occurred on 10 September 2023, when both men were 17 years old and the victim was 19. According to the prosecution's outline of the victim's account, she had been on a night out in Dungannon on 9 September 2023 and described herself as "quite drunk" after leaving a fast food shop. She recalled being approached by two males who appeared to be East Timorese, and her next memory was of both men walking on either side of her down an alleyway leading into a car park. She told the court she had difficulty standing and could not speak properly.

The prosecution stated that the victim remembered one of the males beginning to rape her while the other kept watch and "stood laughing." She also recalled being brought to a corner of the car park, where she was raped a second time. The men eventually left her, and she was able to get up and leave the car park. CCTV footage from the car park captured the events, and the prosecution said the recording was "consistent with the defendants' pleas." The prosecution emphasised that it was clear the victim was "incapacitated and in a vulnerable state" at the time of the attack.

Judge Green said the CCTV footage "makes for disturbing viewing." He commended the victim's "bravery" in coming forward and described her as a "survivor," adding that her impact statement was both "eloquent and moving." The judge told the court that the victim had been subjected to a "prolonged and humiliating ordeal," with Soares and Mariano taking turns to rape her. He noted that it "should have been obvious to both of them she was intoxicated and she was less able to recognise the danger she was in," adding that she "was not capable of resisting this cowardly attack on her and she was not able to call for help."

Judge Green further stated that taking the victim to a car park at such a late hour demonstrated a "significant degree of planning and foresight." In determining the sentence, he said he had taken into account several factors, including the men's young age at the time of the offending, their learning difficulties, the fact that both had entered guilty pleas, delays in the case, and the time they had already spent in prison.

The court had heard details of the rape during an earlier sentencing hearing on 3 September at Dungannon Crown Court. During that hearing, a defence barrister for Mariano said his client was "not disputing the harm caused by this case." The barrister outlined how an expert report had found that Mariano had a "moderate learning disability," and said that when it came to his client, it was a question of "age, vulnerability and cognitive ability."

Mariano's barrister said there was no "challenge to the integrity and strength of the victim" and that she "clearly did not consent in this case." He also told the court that Mariano had apologised and expressed his "shame and remorse" about what had happened.

Soares' defence barrister said his client was neither fluent in Tetum nor English. An expert report outlined that this "language deficit" had led to difficulties and impacted his "understanding of societal norms and morals," the barrister said. Soares also apologised and had "accepted his wrongdoing and his remorse," according to his defence team.

The case had a lengthy procedural history. In March 2025, the pair appeared together at Dungannon Crown Court, where Mariano admitted rape but Soares pleaded not guilty. Numerous adjournments followed, and just before Soares was due to stand trial, in October 2025, he pleaded guilty to rape.

As part of their sentencing, both men were ordered to be on the sex offenders register for life. They were also disqualified from working with children and young adults.

Police Service of Northern Ireland (PSNI) Ch Insp Steph Finlay said the incident was an "appalling and deeply distressing attack on a young woman who should have been able to make her way home safely after meeting with friends." She described the actions of the two men as "predatory, degrading and showed a complete disregard for their victim." The officer paid tribute to the "tremendous courage" the victim had shown throughout what she described as an "extremely difficult and traumatic process," and said the sentences "hold both men accountable for their actions."

The case highlights the continuing challenges faced by authorities in addressing sexual violence, particularly when victims are targeted while intoxicated and vulnerable. The judge's remarks about the planning involved in the attack and the fact that it was partially captured on CCTV underscore the weight of evidence that ultimately led to the guilty pleas. The sentencing also reflects the court's consideration of the defendants' backgrounds, including their young age at the time and their cognitive and language difficulties, balanced against the severity of the crime and its lasting impact on the victim.