A four-year-old who was indecently assaulted by a childcare worker said his abuser made him "feel scared and sad".
"Put Ali in jail for a reason and the reason why because it hurted me," the victim told his mother.
Muhammad Ali, of Scullin, was expressionless when the boy's mother tearfully read a victim impact statement out to the ACT Supreme Court on Tuesday.
In June, a jury found Ali, 30, guilty of committing an act of indecency on the boy in 2022 at a Canberra daycare centre.
However, Ali was acquitted of committing an act of indecency on another boy.
The jury was unable to reach a verdict on a third allegation involving a three-year-old girl, and was discharged after four days of deliberations.
On Tuesday, the victim's mother told the court her son was "very shy, kind, polite and intelligent".
"He is the boy who enjoys playing with the girls, mostly because they let him, and ... pretend to be cats while the girls pretend to be mums," she said.
The mother said she "didn't factor in a paedophile in a daycare centre".
"I cannot put into words how much this makes me feel like a failure, I was unable to protect my own child," she told the court.
"I have experienced every emotion, the first of which was blaming myself for what occurred rather than blaming Ali."
Ali's barrister, James Sabharwal, argued against a period of imprisonment.
"This was an isolated act and it was a very short duration," Mr Sabharwal said.
Prosecutor Trent Hickey told the court there was a "huge" need for general deterrence.
He said it was difficult for young victims to come forward with allegations, and the crime was "even more difficult to detect".
During the trial, the court heard that on April 21 last year, the four-year-old boy told his mother Ali had been mean to him and his friends, and "touched his doodle".
This was the offence of which Ali was found guilty.
It was alleged around this time, another mother had noticed her daughter's genitals were red and inflamed.
The court heard the girl told her mother she had fallen on a metal climbing frame.
Shortly afterwards, the two women spoke at a birthday party, prompting the mother of the girl to ask further questions.
It was alleged the girl then told her mother Ali had pulled her pants down, touched her private parts, and it "happened a lot".
The jury was unable to reach a unanimous decision on this allegation.
Justice Belinda Baker is set to hand down her sentence next week.
- Support is available for those who may be distressed. Phone Lifeline 13 11 14; Canberra Rape Crisis Centre 6247 2525; Bravehearts 1800 272 831; Blue Knot Foundation 1300 657 380.
