A man has been sentenced to eight years imprisonment for serious assaults on his wife.

The man pleaded guilty on to two counts of causing bodily harm and two counts of indecent assault.

He committed all the offenses between April and November 2008.

During these incidents, the man was said to have assaulted his wife using large wooden planks badly bruising her. It was also revealed that he had also threatened to kill her on several occasions.

The court also heard evidence of serious incidents of indecent assault which was described by the judge as "simply appalling."

Deputy Chief Magistrate Emma Garo told the man that the nature of the assaults were not only serious but also inhuman.

"Your actions were designed to degrade your wife and I find this distasteful...you have gone against the general principles of humanity," said Magistrate Garo.

Magistrate Garo said she has taken into account the fact that the accused is a first time offender and had pleaded guilty at the first instance. Magistrate Garo says the severity of the sentence, despite being a first time offender, should send a clear message to the general public.