Two Men Jailed for Rape in County Tyrone Car Park

Two men have been sentenced to six years in prison for raping a woman in an underground car park in County Tyrone. Luis Dos Martins Mariano, 20, and Alcino Soares, 21, both previously pleaded guilty to rape.

Both men moved to Northern Ireland from East Timor when they were younger. The rape occurred on September 10, 2023, when both defendants were 17 years old. The victim was 19 at the time of the attack. Some of the incident was captured on CCTV.

At Downpatrick Crown Court, Judge Richard Green sentenced both men to six years, with three years to be served in custody and three years on license. The judge described the CCTV footage as “disturbing viewing” and commended the victim’s “bravery” in coming forward, calling her a “survivor.” He noted that the victim was subjected to a “prolonged and humiliating ordeal” with Soares and Mariano taking turns to rape her.

"It should have been obvious to both of them she was intoxicated and she was less able to recognise the danger she was in, she was not capable of resisting this cowardly attack on her and she was not able to call for help," the judge stated. He added that taking the victim to a car park late at night demonstrated a “significant degree of planning and foresight.”

In considering the sentences, Judge Green took into account the defendants' young age at the time of the offense, their reported learning difficulties, their guilty pleas, delays in the case, and the time they had already spent in custody.

During an earlier hearing, the court heard details of the assault. The victim stated she had been on a night out and was “quite drunk” outside a fast-food shop when she was approached by two males. Her next memory was of being led by both men down an alleyway into a car park, recalling she had difficulty standing and could not speak properly.

Mariano admitted rape in March 2025, while Soares initially pleaded not guilty. Soares later pleaded guilty to rape in October 2025, shortly before his trial was scheduled to begin.

During sentencing hearings, defense barristers highlighted Mariano's moderate learning disability and Soares' language deficit, which an expert report suggested impacted his understanding of societal norms. Both defense counsels stated their clients had apologized and expressed remorse.

Both men were ordered to be placed on the sex offenders register for life and were disqualified from working with children and young adults.

Police Service of Northern Ireland Detective Chief Inspector Steph Finlay called the incident an “appalling and deeply distressing attack” and stated that the sentences “hold both men accountable for their actions.”