Wednesday 28 October 2026Compiled from published reports. Every claim links to its source.

Ireland Crime

Every case followed from the first report to the sentence, or to where the reporting stopped.

Case No. 3705Rape · Co. Cork · 29 Mar 2024

Brazilian ex-soccer player Tiago Damasceno Sousa jailed for nine years for raping 19-year-old woman at knifepoint in west Cork

Tiago Damasceno Sousa, 39, a Brazilian former professional soccer player, was sentenced to nine years in prison at the Central Criminal Court sitting in Cork on 27 February 2026 after pleading guilty to raping a 19-year-old woman at knifepoint in her home in west Cork on 29 March 2024.

  1. Reportednot reported
  2. Arrestednot reported
  3. Chargednot reported
  4. In courtnot reported
  5. Verdictnot reported
  6. Sentenced27 Feb
reportedhappened, not reportedlatest stagenot yet

Key facts

consolidated from all reports
20 statements extracted from the articles
  • whatHe raped a 19-year-old woman at knifepoint in her own bedroom. (irishtimes.com)
  • whatOver a two-hour period he threatened to kill her and her parents and made video recordings of the sexual assault. (irishtimes.com)
  • whatHe had played professional soccer for America Mineiro in Belo Horizonte, Brazil. (irishtimes.com)
  • whatHe had pleaded guilty to the rape. (irishtimes.com)
  • whatHe had been living in west Cork for 20 months before the rape. (irishtimes.com)
  • whatThe assault happened between 7am and 9am. (irishtimes.com)
  • whatShe woke to find him leaning over her in her bed at 7am with a knife in his right hand. (irishtimes.com)
  • whatHe covered her mouth with his left hand and told her to shut up or he would kill her and her parents. (irishtimes.com)
  • whatHe used Google translate on his phone during the assault. (irishtimes.com)
  • whatHe put his penis in her vagina a number of times from different positions and recorded some of it on his phone. (irishtimes.com)
  • whatHe said he was studying Irish law and had proof that she was enjoying it. (irishtimes.com)
  • whatHe had consumed a significant amount of alcohol. (irishtimes.com)
  • whereThe rape took place in the woman's home in west Cork. (irishtimes.com)
  • whenThe rape occurred on 29 March 2024. (irishtimes.com)
  • weaponHe held a knife to her and raped her on numerous occasions. (irishtimes.com)
  • courtThe sentencing took place at the Central Criminal Court sitting in Cork. (irishtimes.com)
  • courtJudge Siobhan Lankford presided over the sentencing. (irishtimes.com)
  • sentenceThe judge reduced the 12-year headline sentence to 10 years because of the guilty plea. (irishtimes.com)
  • sentenceThe sentence was backdated to 29 March 2024, when Sousa first went into custody. (irishtimes.com)
  • otherHe had no previous convictions. (irishtimes.com)

The reporting

newest first
  1. 27 Feb2026
    Sentencedirishtimes.com, first report
    Former pro soccer player jailed for raping woman (19) at knifepoint in her home

    Sentencing report: Judge Siobhan Lankford imposed a nine-year sentence (reduced from a 12-year headline) after Sousa pleaded guilty. The judge detailed the two-hour assault, the use of a knife, video recordings, and death threats, and backdated the sentence to the date of his initial custody.

    convicted, Tiago Damasceno Sousa, 39, male, Brazilian, named, non-irishTiago Damasceno Sousavictim, 19, female