Two teenage migrants who admitted raping and attacking a young woman in Northern Ireland remain unsentenced more than a year after pleading guilty, with a judge demanding urgent action to end further delays that have left the victim waiting a total of almost three years for justice.
Luis Dos Martins Mariano, 19, and Alcino Soares, 20, both from East Timor and living in Dungannon, Co. Tyrone, pleaded guilty to raping the woman following a brutal attack in an underground car park in September 2023. The prolonged sentencing delay has been caused in part by Northern Ireland's ongoing criminal barristers' strike, which has left numerous serious criminal cases stalled despite offenders already admitting guilt.
The attack was captured on CCTV. During earlier proceedings, the court heard a police officer describe the victim as appearing limp or unconscious during parts of the assault. The victim was on a night out with friends in Dungannon when the men approached her and took her to the car park, while one of the defendants laughed as he filmed the attack on his phone.
Mariano pleaded guilty to rape in March 2025. Soares later entered the same plea. Despite the admissions, the pair have still not been sentenced more than 14 months later. The case was initially delayed by disputes surrounding interpreter arrangements before becoming caught up in the six-month criminal barristers' industrial action that has disrupted Crown Court business across Northern Ireland.
At Dungannon Crown Court last week, Judge Richard Green made clear that the case should be treated as a priority. "If there is even the shortest of windows, it would be my hope and expectation this case will be dealt with as a priority," Judge Green told prosecuting counsel Simon Reid KC, urging prosecutors to seek an exception to the strike because of the gravity of the case.
The pair are next due to appear before Dungannon Crown Court on June 2, when prosecutors hope the case can finally proceed to sentencing if court resources become available.
