Man sexually assaults woman he met on internet

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A 24-year-old Christchurch fisherman broke into the home of a woman he met months earlier on an internet dating site and sexually assaulted her, a court was told today.

Shodie Graham Milne remanded to April 5 for sentencing after pleading guilty in Christchurch District Court today to burglary and indecent assault. Police withdrew a charge of assault with intent to commit sexual violation.

The woman at first thought it was her boyfriend when Milne got into bed with her after climbing through a window last month.

When she struggled Milne held her down, kissing her mouth and neck and rubbing against her. He tried to remove her underwear, but told her he was not going to rape her.

He rolled her onto her stomach but ran off when she used her phone to call the police.

Judge David Saunders gave Milne a first strike warning, and remanded him on bail with a curfew but permission to attend the brain injury clinic at Christchurch's Burwood Hospital.

He asked for a pre-sentence report to be prepared including a report to assess if Milne would be suitable for home or community detention, but warned him that a prison term would still be under consideration.

- NZPA