Two men jailed for six years for 2023 rape of woman in Dungannon car park

Two men have been jailed for raping a woman in an underground car park in Dungannon, County Tyrone. 1 2 Luis Dos Martins Mariano, 20, of Sloan Street, and Alcino Soares, 21, of Braeside, both in Dungannon, each received six years, with half to be served in custody and half on licence; both had pleaded guilty, and both moved to Northern Ireland from East Timor when younger. 1 2 The rape happened on 10 September 2023, when both men were 17 and the victim was 19; some of it was recorded on CCTV. 1

The BBC reports the sentence was passed at Downpatrick Crown Court, with both men appearing by video link from Hydebank prison, after an earlier hearing at Dungannon Crown Court on 3 September 2026. 1 The court heard the victim had been on a night out, was approached by two males and was walked, one on either side, to the car park; the BBC says she was "quite drunk" and could not stand or talk properly. 1 2 According to the Irish Times account of the court hearing, Mariano raped her while Soares watched and kept look-out, Soares then raped her, and Mariano filmed on his phone; the BBC's account of the prosecution case says one man raped her while the other kept watch and she was raped again in a corner of the car park. 2 1

Soares was arrested after police received reports he was following women and filming them; his DNA matched that on the victim's clothes, and he told police the sex was consensual. Mariano was arrested a week later and a detective described him as the "instigator". 2 Mariano admitted rape in March 2025 while Soares initially pleaded not guilty; just before Soares was due to stand trial in October 2025 he changed his plea to guilty. 1 2 Judge Richard Green (spelled Greene by the Irish Times) called the CCTV "disturbing viewing", described a "prolonged and humiliating ordeal" and a "cowardly attack", said the car park choice showed planning, and commended the victim's bravery. 1 2

In sentencing, the judge took into account the men's young age at the time, learning difficulties, guilty pleas, delays and time already spent in custody; defence barristers cited a moderate learning disability for Mariano and a language deficit for Soares, and said both had apologised. 1 The Irish Times adds that both were assessed as medium risk of reoffending but not dangerous, and that the judge said they "blamed the victim, minimised and justified their actions"; the judge said he did not intend to differentiate between the defendants. 2 Both men must stay on the sex offenders register for life; the BBC reports they are disqualified from working with children and young adults, and the Irish Times reports 10-year Sexual Offences Prevention Orders. 1 2

PSNI Ch Insp Steph Finlay called it an "appalling and deeply distressing attack" and said the sentences "hold both men accountable for their actions". 1