A man who raped a 15-year-old girl in the sea off Bournemouth beach has been sentenced to six and a half years in detention. Gabriel Marinoaica, now 20, dragged the victim, who could not swim, out of her depth and attacked her in July 2021.
The court heard that Marinoaica, then 18, grabbed the girl as she played catch with friends on a crowded beach and pulled her into deeper water. He placed his hand over her mouth to prevent her from screaming during the assault until she broke free and swam back to shore.
In a victim impact statement read at Bournemouth Crown Court, the girl said she was 'haunted in her nightmares' by the attack. She added: 'I used to have a huge love for the beach and sea but I have lost it. I feel so unsafe in the water now.'
Marinoaica, from Walsall, West Midlands, claimed the sex was consensual but was convicted of rape and three counts of sexual assault. Judge Susan Evans KC said his actions showed 'predatory behaviour' and undermined public confidence in a public space. She noted that his youth at the time—18—required a 'significant reduction' in sentence.
The judge said: 'It was a brazen act in broad daylight with many people around. The beach should be a safe place... You have caused lifelong harm to her.'
