A 38-year-old Brazilian national has been sentenced to prison for the repeated sexual assault of a 17-year-old boy.
Rafael Nascimento encountered the teenager after he became separated from his group of friends during an evening out in Brighton on August 10, 2025.
The holidaymaker approached the youth, who was seated on a bench along Dyke Road close to its intersection with North Street, and inquired about purchasing cigarettes.
According to the Crown Prosecution Service, Nascimento then utilized a translation application to persuade the teenager to accompany him back to his accommodation, where he administered drugs and alcohol, causing the victim to become disoriented.
During a search of the Airbnb property where Nascimento was staying, law enforcement discovered a glass pipe containing class A and class B substances, both of which were subsequently detected in the victim’s bloodstream.
Nascimento faced an initial charge of one count of rape involving a male and made his first court appearance at Brighton Magistrates’ Court on August 12.
Subsequent charges were filed, including three additional rape counts, two counts of sexual assault, and one count of inducing sexual activity, with the matter proceeding to trial.
On February 2, following a two-week jury trial at Lewes Crown Court, Nascimento was convicted of four rape offenses and causing a person to engage in sexual activity. He was acquitted of the sexual assault charges.
On April 17, he received a 13-year prison sentence.
Daniel Harrison, a District Crown Prosecutor with the Crown Prosecution Service, stated: “Rafael Nascimento’s lack of English proficiency did not prevent him from exploiting the situation. He leveraged technology to initiate contact with the victim and lure him to his accommodation.
This was a horrifying assault committed by an adult male against a teenage boy, and the psychological trauma experienced by the victim that night is unimaginable.
The victim described his terror upon realizing he was trapped in a locked residence after Nascimento began striking him, and his desperate attempts to flee before the assault escalated.
The victim explicitly stated he did not consent to sexual activity, yet Nascimento continued providing drugs and alcohol to facilitate his abuse.
Every individual deserves to feel secure, including young people. I urge anyone who has experienced similar victimization to report these incidents to authorities. It is never too late to pursue justice – support exists and you are not alone.