A 64-year-old guitarist who defiled two 13-year-old girls in 2005 was yesterday jailed for six years after he was found guilty by jurors following a week-long trial.

Mario Azzopardi, who goes by the nickname Sufu, was declared guilty by seven votes to two of defiling the girls but was acquitted of raping a third.

According to the bill of indictment, Mr Azzopardi sexually assaulted the girls after inviting them to his Cospicua house to teach them how to play the guitar.

The trial was heard entirely behind closed doors except for the verdict and sentencing, which was held in an afternoon session yesterday.

Before handing down judgment, Mr Justice Lawrence Quintano heard Prisons Director Police Superintendent Abraham Zammit testify that Mr Azzopardi was an “exemplary prisoner” and looked after the prison’s chapel.

He said that Mr Azzopardi first entered prison on February 17, 2011. after being jailed for three months for breaching his bail conditions, and has been there ever since.

Mr Azzopardi had also offered guitar lessons to inmates and was involved in sports.

In submissions on punishment, defence lawyer Leslie Cuschieri told the court that the mother of one of the girls had said she never expected the case against Mr Azzopardi to go so far but the judge said this was not said in court and was not going to be considered.

Sentencing, the judge said that while he noted that the accused had recognised the severity of his actions, “there was no excuse for what happened”.

He also considered that the sexual acts had happened more than once.