Auckland man faces indefinite jail term

James George Iwikau pleaded guilty to the charges. File photo

An Auckland man who broke into a woman's home and attempted to rape her while her partner lay asleep on a nearby couch may be locked up indefinitely.

James George Iwikau, 46, was scheduled to stand trial in the High Court at Auckland next year on charges of burglary and assault with intent to commit sexual violation.

But today, he pleaded guilty to the charges and the details of the incident were released to NZME News Service.

The 21-year-old victim returned to her central-Auckland home with her partner on the night of April 20, which was only accessible using a key card.

She told police she fell asleep on her bed while her boyfriend went to sleep on a couch in the same room.

About four hours later Iwikau broke in via a door or window.

He crept into the woman's bed as she slept and kissed her, "penetrating her mouth with his tongue".

Iwikau repeatedly asked her to remove her pants and, thinking he was her partner, she did so.

After molesting the victim and attempting to pull her on top of him, the defendant tried to pull off his own pants.

As the woman began to wake up, she saw her boyfriend asleep on the couch and screamed for help.

Iwikau bolted down the hallway and out of the building.

When interviewed by police he told them he could not remember what happened that night.

The High Court at Auckland today heard Iwikau will be considered for a sentence of preventive detention - an indefinite prison term.

He will now be assessed by a psychologist and psychiatrist and their reports will be provided to counsel and the sentencing judge.

Preventive detention is usually imposed on people who have a long history of violent or sexual offending and is designed to protect the public.

The sentence comes with a standard non-parole period of 10 years, but a judge can extend that in "exceptional cases".

Iwikau will learn his fate in February.