A judge has warned a man who sexually abused children to "never forget that you have devastated two families" and sentenced him to more time behind bars.
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"Nothing like this must ever happen again," Justice Chrissa Loukas-Karlsson told the offender in the ACT Supreme Court on Thursday.
The judge sentenced Sithu Naing, 47, to three years in jail, with an 18-month non-parole period, backdated to take time already served into account.
Naing had previously been found guilty of five counts of committing an act of indecency on a person aged under 16.
He had contested the allegations during a jury trial in February.
He was ultimately found guilty of sexual indecency offences on two girls, aged 11 and 13 at the time.
Naing was a friend of the children's family.
Speaking directly to Naing on Thursday, Justice Loukas-Karlsson said "you have devastated two families, your friend's family and your family."
"This should not have happened," she said over the sound of one of Naing's supporters crying in the back of the courtroom.
"Never forget that you have devastated two families, you must understand that.
"It is clear that alcohol has been your downfall, nothing like this must ever happen again."
The court previously heard Naing was "so drunk" at the time of his crimes he had no memory of committing them.
Counsel for Naing, barrister Stephen Robinson, told the court his client "drinks whisky and he drinks it to the point of passing out".
"[He] didn't know when he drinks he would develop a sexual interest in young girls," Mr Robinson said.
On Thursday, Justice Loukas-Karlsson read out a letter Naing's wife had written to the court.
"Ever since my husband has been taken away from us we are struggling to get through each day," the wife wrote.
"I am struggling to pay the bills and am falling behind paying them.
"We are unable to have any heating as we fear I cannot pay the utility bills. Our house is freezing cold, and missing [Naing] makes it even colder."
Justice Loukas-Karlsson took the hardship to Naing's wife and his five children into account when sentencing the man.
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"The offender's moral culpability is 'somewhat qualified' by the severe 'black out' intoxication," Justice Loukas-Karlsson said.
She also found Naing had good prospects of rehabilitation "if he stays away from alcohol".
A psychological report, tendered to the court, found that Naing was drinking heavily as "an avoidance based coping mechanism" and a "form of emotional numbing".
A victim impact statement from the father of the girls was read to the court in May.
The father said Naing had been a close friend for more than 10 years and "a member of our extended family".
Naing had taken "advantage of my family's trust and sexually assaulted our daughters", he said in the statement.
He claimed Naing had "continued to attend family events without guilt or remorse".
"No child should have to experience the pain or fear my daughters have to manage," the father said.
Naing will be eligible for release in August 2024.
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