A man guilty of a shocking sex attack will today learn if he faces our law system's harshest punishment, of preventive detention.
Peter Niko has admitted to the prolonged sexual assault of a 65-year-old woman in her Porirua home in June this year.
He pleaded guilty to a raft of charges including seven of sexual violation, making the woman unconscious with the intent to commit rape and threatening to kill.
His case has been moved to the High Court in Wellington for today's sentencing, to allow the judge to consider whether preventive detention is a suitable sentence.
Preventive detention means an offender would be imprisoned for an indeterminate length of time, and even if released could be recalled to prison at any time.
Niko's offending caused deep concern in the Porirua community.
He knocked on the victim's front door at 6am on June 17, claiming that he was looking for his daughter.
The 65-year-old woman was then subjected to a prolonged attack.