A 43-YEAR-OLD man who punched his partner in the head during a violent argument in a car on the Bruce Highway has been sentenced to nine months imprisonment.

Proserpine Magistrates Court heard on Monday how the man breached a domestic violence order during the tirade. He was also involved in another separate incident where he stole a vehicle from a person at Mount Morgan.

Police prosecutor Senior Sergeant Matt Saunders said the domestic violence incident occurred around 11.30am on September 25 on the Bruce Highway near Proserpine.

The woman's statement said they had been driving in a car on the Bruce Highway when an argument broke out.

Sgt Saunders said the man "began yelling and abusing" the woman when she dialled 000 on her mobile phone and he grabbed it and threw it.

Sgt Saunders said the man then "punched her twice in the side of the ear". The man's tirade continued as he called her a "s***" and a "retard". She told the man to stop but then he "grabbed her by the head".

She pleaded with him to stop the car and eventually she pulled the handbrake. She got out of the car and walked into a cane paddock as the man drove off.

Police eventually arrived and observed she had swelling to the side of her head. She also began receiving abusive text messages from the man where he called her names including a "$2 whore".

He was arrested later that day and remained in custody.

The second incident occurred on March 24 after police received a call that a vehicle had been stolen from an address at Mount Morgan. Police found the car on April 11 at Zilzie, near Rockhampton. The woman living at the house said the man had left the car there without permission. He was later arrested on June 22.

Appearing from jail via video link, the man pleaded guilty to both charges.

Defence solicitor Raymond Taylor said the pair had been involved in a relationship for around five years and after it ended, the man had moved from Rockhampton to Bowen to "get away from the relationship".

Mr Taylor said the woman had travelled from Rockhampton to talk about their relationship when they had the falling out.

He also said the stolen vehicle was recovered with "no damage sustained and no restitution sought".

In sentencing, Magistrate Simon Young said the man had already been handed a two months suspended jail sentence in Rockhampton Magistrates Court in June.

"It exacerbates the penalties here today... and has not acted as a deterrent to further behaviour," he said. "The acts of physical violence sound quite savage."

For the domestic violence he was sentenced to nine months imprisonment, with 71 days already served. For the unlawful use he was given one month. His suspended sentence was also activated with all sentences to be served concurrently. He was given a parole release date of December 24, 2016.

Convictions were recorded for both charges.