Tekapua Arepa Heemi was jailed in New Plymouth District Court on Wednesday for bashing his wife.

A Taranaki man who bashed his wife so savagely her blood splattered across the interior of a car claims not to remember the attack and blames his victim.

Tekapua Arepa Heemi was already on bail for assault against the same woman when he beat her again on December 16 last year.

The pair had spent the afternoon drinking alcohol together and were in a vehicle, that Heemi was driving, when the assault began.

They started arguing and Heemi then began punching his wife in the face. The pair had been in a relationship for 38 years.

READ MORE:

* Taranaki trio on trial for shooting up Highway 61 gang pad

* Woman describes being suffocated as partner squeezed her throat

* Taranaki husband pulled his wife's hair, causing her to fall and dislocate shoulder

"The first punch is described as being with such strength it caused her head to hit the window of the vehicle and for her blood to splatter across the car," Judge Garry Barkle said in New Plymouth District Court on Wednesday.

Heemi continued punching his wife's head and as she opened the door to try and escape the moving vehicle he pulled her back by her hair.

Heemi then stopped the car and continued his punching frenzy. Bystanders who saw the attack tried to pull the woman from the vehicle, but Heemi drove forward leaving her hanging from the car.

Once she was successfully removed and placed on the ground, Heemi put the car into reverse and tried to run her over.

But the woman was moved out of the way and the bystanders then began to attack Heemi.

He was taken to hospital for treatment following the beating and a blood test returned a result of 94 milligrams of alcohol per 100 millilitres of blood. The legal driving limit is 50mgs.

The woman suffered a number of injuries including a concussion, soft tissue facial damage, lacerations and a fractured thumb.

Crown prosecutor Jacob Bourke said the attack was one of extreme violence.

He accepted Heemi pleaded guilty to the attack's resulting charges, but pointed out a report provided to the court in which Heemi denied any violence.

"And he blames the victim," Bourke said.

Defence Kylie Pascoe said there was no doubt the assault was "nasty gratuitous violence" at the hands of a person the victim should never have to fear.

But Heemi maintained he had no recall of the actual incident and limited knowledge of the events leading to it, she said.

"It gets construed as a lack of remorse."

While Heemi has medical issues there was nothing that could explain his lack of recall, Pascoe said.

Judge Barkle said jail was the only option for Heemi. ﻿

While the woman still suffers pain from the physical injuries, the emotional harm caused by the attack was the most concerning, Judge Barkle said.

"She so loved you and does not understand what triggered you to do this to her."

On charges wounding with intent to cause grievous bodily harm, breaching a protection order and drink driving, Heemi was jailed for three years and 10 months.

He was disqualified from driving for six months and at an earlier hearing was issued with his first strike warning for the assault.