A Dunedin teen barricaded himself in his room for several hours with the threat of prison looming, a court has heard.

Brendon Hemi Raukura, 18, had his case called in the Dunedin District Court this week but was absent from the dock.

Court probation officer Jeremy Burdett told Judge Kevin Phillips the teen had locked himself in the room at the supported accommodation where he was serving a sentence of two years' intensive supervision for sex offences committed last year on a teenage boy.

"Police can't arrest him because he hasn't actually done anything illegal," Burdett said.

That changed when the judge issued a warrant for the teen's arrest.

Corrections brought the case before the court to review the sentence imposed in December last year, which was aimed at helping Raukura turn his life around. Burdett said the defendant had been "totally" closed to efforts to help him and it was likely the only alternative sentence was imprisonment.

Raukura had also breached the GPS-monitored component of his sentence, which barred him from going to places where under-16s might congregate, he said.

Judge Phillips, citing an affidavit, said the non-compliance had continued over a period of months.

Raukura was no longer allowed to stay at the address where he had been living and Corrections had been unable to find him other accommodation.

He "realised the matter has now deteriorated to the point where his liberty is at issue", the judge said.

About eight hours after the warrant to arrest was issued, Raukura was brought to court by police. He was remanded in custody and will appear again tomorrow.