A Brazilian man who used a translation app to lure a teenage boy to his flat before repeatedly raping him has been jailed for 13 years.

Rafael Nascimento found the 17-year-old after he became separated from his friends while on a night out in Brighton in August 2025. He used the translation app to invite him back to his flat, where he gave him drugs and alcohol, leaving the victim feeling dizzy.

When police searched the Airbnb flat that Nascimento was using, they found a glass pipe containing a class A and class B drugs, both of which were found in the victim’s system.

Daniel Harrison, District Crown Prosecutor from the Crown Prosecution Service, said: “Despite not speaking English, Rafael Nascimento did not let this stop him, instead turning to technology to start a conversation with the victim and luring him back to his property.

“This was an appalling attack on a teenage boy by an adult man and none of us can imagine the trauma the victim went through that night.

“Realising he was trapped in a locked apartment, the victim recalled how scared he was after Nascimento began to slap him and how he tried to get away from him before the attack started.

“The victim made it clear that he did not consent to sex, but Nascimento continued to ply him with drugs and alcohol so that he could abuse and rape him.

“Everyone has the right to feel safe, including teenagers. I encourage anyone who has been in a similar position to come forward to report these incidents to the police. It is never too late to seek justice - you are not alone and there is help available.”