A man who frightened lone women by stopping them in public and asking them for dates has been ordered into rehabilitation.

Jeevaka Charles Perera stopped one woman who was cycling along the Hutt riverbank in February, and told her he had seen her around. When she rode off, he called after her: "Are you chicken?"

A second charge related to a pregnant woman. Perera touched her back from behind and came so close that she felt his breath as she stepped away.

He told her, "I couldn't help noticing you. I would like to take you out sometime."

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She told him she was married.

Judge Jennifer Ann Binns​ said the first victim felt "very unsettled" and suffered stress after the incident. The second woman was left feeling vulnerable and trapped.

Perera, a student living on a benefit, was appearing in Hutt Valley District Court on Friday for sentencing on charges of intimidating and frightening women.

The judge said he did not know either of the women. Looking through his mental health history, she said a pattern of behaviour started when Perera was 18 and living in Australia. The offending typically occurred when he felt stressed or bored.

He faced a similar intimidation charge in 2013.

A doctor's report said previous efforts at rehabilitation had been unfruitful.

Defence lawyer Jacquelyn Thompson said Perera wanted help, and wanted to pay emotional harm.

"THEY BOTH FELT UNSETTLED"

The judge told him it was important to protect the community by getting him rehabilitation. "Although you may think it's not sinister and just conversation, it's clear the victims do not feel that way. They both felt unsettled."

She sentenced Perera to 12 months of intensive supervision, 120 hours of community work, and to complete any recommended counselling. She emphasised an important condition of his sentence was to complete rehabilitation through WellStop.

She also ordered him to pay each of his victims $5 a week up to $100 each.

She refused to allow him to be photographed in court, saying he suffered from mental health issues, needed rehabilitation and could suffer further anxiety from media exposure.

There was also a risk he might be persecuted if his photo was made public.