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ABC News
ABC News
National

Two women attacked by man who broke into their Canberra home say they feared being murdered or suffocated

James March was arrested by police and extradited to the ACT from New South Wales on charges of burglary and assault. (Supplied: ACT Policing)

Two women attacked by a burglar in their home in Canberra's north feared they would be bashed, raped or murdered, as the man grabbed their hair and pushed them face-down onto a bed, court documents have revealed.

James March, 35, has been referred to the Indigenous Galambany Circle Sentencing Court after pleading guilty to a raft of charges ranging from assault to forcible confinement and burglary.

Documents tendered to the court revealed March gained access to the home in the suburb of Ainslie through a bathroom window before one of the women woke to find him in her bedroom, and told him to leave.

But the documents revealed March instead lay down on top of her, prompting the woman to scream for her housemate.

When the second woman come into the room he told her: "It's OK, it's OK, nothing's wrong."

But the women told police that when the first woman tried to convince him to leave, offering to open the front door, he became aggressive, forcing both women into the bedroom, saying words to the effect of "I am going to have to do this."

March then grabbed them both by the hair and forced their faces into the bed.

In the struggle, one of the women stabbed him in the leg with a key and the other hit and kicked him in the groin and face.

The documents revealed it was then that one of the women noticed her mobile phone and yelled out: "Hey Siri, call the police." But it did not work.

The women later told police March eventually stopped and said: "I was told to come to this house, but I've got the wrong people."

He made both women shower to remove any forensic evidence before eventually leaving.

March warned the women if they went to police they would be at risk from dangerous people with whom he was involved.

The court heard the women fled the house when he had gone, and initially did not report the attack out of fear there would be retaliation.

March was arrested in Sydney when police searched his Bondi home.

He was extradited to the ACT in May, and it remains unclear when he will face sentencing.

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