Today the court heard how Taurae had been assessed as a high risk of reoffending and harm to the community.
During an interview with probation, he lacked insight into his offending and the impact it had on the victims, Crown prosecutor Zoe Hamill said.
But a letter to the court from the defendant convinced Judge Sharon McAusland the teen was remorseful.
After 10 months in custody Taurae had had chance to rethink his behaviour, she said.
"You accept you have behaved in a reprehensible fashion and you don't wish to be that person," the judge said.
The first incident took place on October 3 last year as a woman was cycling down Great South Rd when she saw Taurae outside Kirks Bush.
He followed her, with a t-shirt over his head to disguise himself, grabbed her around the waist and asked her to have sex with him.
As the victim pushed him away, she noticed the teenager had unzipped his fly and had his penis protruding.
She ran to a nearby house to get help and Taurae only fled when he saw someone answer the door.
Only weeks later, also in broad daylight, another woman was making her way through the bush reserve and was attacked from behind.
Taurae tackled her to the ground and forced her face into the dirt as he committed the violation.
It only stopped when the victim grabbed his hair and screamed.
At sentencing Judge McAusland gave him discounts for his youth and guilty pleas and jailed him for three and a half years.
Taurae will be sentenced on further charges next year, stemming from an attempted stabbing of his mother and a burglary of a Papakura house.
