Two men who raped teenager in underground car park jailed

Two men who raped a teenager in an underground car park in Co Tyrone have been jailed.Luis Dos Martins Mariano (20), from Sloan Street in Dungannon, and Alcino Soares (21), from Braeside, Dungannon, committed the offences on September 10th, 2023.Mariano admitted rape in March 2025 at Dungannon Crown Court and was remanded in custody, while Soares pleaded not guilty. In October 2025, Soares changed his plea.Judge Richard Greene remanded him in custody and adjourned for pre-sentence reports.READ MOREThe court heard the pair encountered the 19-year-old victim randomly and brought her to an underground car park in Dungannon.She had been out with friends when the males approached and walked her – one on either side – to the empty car park. She was taken to a corner and raped by Mariano, while Soares “watched and laughed, pacing up and down”, keeping a look out. The victim stumbled away, but Soares approached, pulled down her lower clothing and raped her again. Mariano laughed while videoing the attack on his phone, before Soares walked away, leaving the victim on the ground. The victim then managed to make her way back to her friends, and ultimately, home.Police were alerted and seized CCTV footage that captured the entire incident.Officers then encountered Soares after receiving reports that he was following women and filming them on his phone and he was arrested. His DNA matched that found on the victim’s clothes. After caution he replied: “I didn’t rape anyone. No way man. That wasn’t me.” He insisted all sexual activity was consensual and the victim “wanted it”. Mariano was arrested a week later. He was described in court by a detective as the “instigator”. Both men moved to Northern Ireland from East Timor when they were younger.The judge said that the matter was aggravated by the two men working in concert to commit the offence, while accepting both men were youths at the time, although Soares turned 18 the following week.The judge said that the female “survivor” delivered an “elegant, measured and moving account” in her victim impact statement. “Her bravery in coming forward is to be commended,” he added.Both Soares and Mariano were classed as medium risk of reoffending, and the judge noted that they “blamed the victim, minimised and justified their actions” and that there was a “lack of awareness of their behaviour or empathy”.While both demonstrated harmful sexual violence, neither met the criteria for dangerousness.Mariano remained “more concerned about the impact on himself rather than the victim, and if he will be deported,” the judge said.Soares insisted his offending was down to alcohol and showed a “sheer lack of insight with disregard for the victim”.Greene said: “This was a prolonged, humiliating ordeal. They removed her from her friends leaving her completely vulnerable. It was a cowardly attack, and I have no doubt they believed she would have been unable to give an account to police. They knew the car park would be deserted which shows an element of planning. I do not intend to differentiate between either defendant.”They were sentenced to six years’ imprisonment, to be served equally between custody and on licence. Both will remain on the sex offenders register for life and made subject to Sexual Offences Prevention Orders for 10 years.