SOMBA K'E/YELLOWKNIFE - A 23-year-old Fort Smith man was sentenced Thursday to four years in jail for breaking into a woman's home and sexually assaulting her.

The man, Lloyd David Giroux, will be a registered sex offender for 20 years.

He illegally broke into the woman's home through a locked door. He grabbed and fondled his victim, who is in her 60s. He then pulled the woman's legs around him and made thrusting motions, simulating sexual intercourse. Afterwards, he left the house, only to return moments later, forcing himself through the door while the woman tried to hold it shut. Pinning her against the stove, the man pulled her pants down. She pulled them back up when he was taking his own pants down. Then, as she was being pulled into the bathroom, she screamed and Giroux fled the house.

Schuler said the offence was disturbing because it was premeditated and because Giroux covered most of his face with a hoodie.

"It's logical he went there to sexually assault her," Schuler said during sentencing, adding the man had verbally indicated he intended to have sex with her. "He took advantage of the victim's vulnerability."

Schuler said the assault was a "serious invasion of the sexual integrity of the victim" and "the fact he (Giroux) cannot or will not obey the law" means a harsher punishment is needed.

Already in jail 13 months awaiting trial, Schuler gave Giroux 20 months credit, leaving him to serve another 28 months behind bars. Pointing to a "terrible" criminal record, which included a previous sexual assault and numerous break and enters and breaches of probation, Schuler said, "You need to do some thinking and rearrange your life."

"You're still a young man," she said. "It's difficult to understand why you did what you did."