Two men who carried out a horrific attack on a random teenage female, one of whom claimed she “wanted it” have been jailed.
Luis Dos Martins Mariano (20), from Sloan Street and Alcino Soares (21), from Braeside, both in Dungannon, committed the offences on September 10, 2023.
Mariano admitted rape in March 2025 at Dungannon Crown Court and was remanded in custody while Soares pleaded not guilty however by October 2025 just as a jury was to be sworn, he changed his plea.
Judge Richard Green remanded him in custody and adjourned for pre-sentence reports.
On return the court heard the pair encountered the completely random 19-year-old victim and walked her to an underground carpark in Dungannon,
She was taken to a corner and raped by Mariano, while the 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.
Mariano laughed while videoing the attack on his phone, before Soares walked away, leaving the victim on the ground.
Police were alerted and seized CCTV footage which captured the entire incident.
Officers then encountered Soares after receiving reports that he was following women and filming them on his phone.
Bodyworn video from this was compared with the carpark CCTV footage and Soares 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 and on first reaching court a detective described him as the “instigator”.
Counsel for Mariano pointed to “consent and capacity to consent … within the turmoil of adolescence and misguided, immature misinterpretation. It clearly wasn’t consent and the harm to the victim is not disputed”.
Soares’ defence also cited how “reasonable consent” is constituted but didn’t dispute the victim’s account.
The pair appeared side-by-side for sentencing today (Thursday) where Judge Greene noted when first spoken to Soares insisted: “We didn’t rape her. We had sex with her and she wanted it”
He claimed to have told Marianno: “You can f*** her like, but don’t do anything bad to her.”
Judge Green said 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.
Judge Green said: “The Victim Impact Statement – although I say she is a survivor – is an elegant, measured and moving account. Her bravery in coming forward is to be commended.”
Both Soares and Mariano were classed as medium risk of reoffending, and the Judge noted they “blamed the victim, minimised and justified their actions and lack of awareness of their behaviour or empathy”.
While both demonstrated harmful sexual violence, neither met the criteria for dangerousness.
Marianno remained “more concerned about the impact on himself rather than the victim, and if he will be deported”.
Soares insisted his offending was down to alcohol and showed a “sheer lack of insight with disregard for the victim.”
Judge 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 carpark 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.
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