Soccer player raped woman at knifepoint in her West Cork bedroom

Tiago Damasceno Sousa also made video recordings of the attack and threatened to kill victim's parents

The accused held a knife to the victim and told her he would kill her and her parents, the court heard. File picture: Larry Cummins 

A former professional soccer player from Brazil based in West Cork raped a 19-year-old woman in her own bedroom at knifepoint, while making video-recordings and threatening to kill her and her parents.

Tiago Damasceno Sousa, age 39, who was living in West Cork for approximately 18 months before the rape on March 29, 2024, pleaded guilty to carrying out the attack. The facts of the case were outlined on Friday at the Central Criminal Court sitting in Cork.