A five-year-old girl watched as her mother took repeated strikes to the head before being taken to hospital with what could have been "catastrophic damage" to her brain.
Robert Paul Strickland, 48, had no violent convictions before pleading guilty to assault with intent to injure at the Whanganui District Court on Tuesday.
Police prosecutor Sergeant Drew Morrison said on March 13 at about 8pm, Strickland was arguing with his partner over money when he "lashed out" and began punching her in the head.
"The victim received bruising to her face, a cut lip, scratching to her neck...and was treated by an ambulance and taken to hospital," Mr Morrison told the court.
Mr Morrison said the victim's five-year-old daughter witnessed the event.
Defense lawyer Jamie Waugh said Strickland had no history of domestic violence and it was out of character.
"He's in fulltime employment...and is well known in Whanganui."
Mr Waugh suggested that Strickland was reacting to years of psychological abuse from the victim and had just snapped.
"He just wanted her to stop abusing him....over a long period of time this has built up and he just snapped. He admits he needs help and never wants this to happen again," Mr Waugh said.
Judge John Macdonald told Mr Waugh he was not impressed with his submission.
"[Strickland] seems to be blaming the victim," the judge told Mr Waugh.
The judge told Strickland that he accepted at the age of 48 with no prior convictions of this sort it was "out of character".
"But the reality is that this is your responsibility and your responsibility alone.
"I have read the victim impact statement and she is very distressed from the event and worried for her daughter."
Mr Waugh told the judge that Strickland was no long involved with the victim and sought help.
Strickland was convicted and sentenced to 200 hours of community work and nine months of supervision.
