Wodonga magistrate Ian Watkins said Bright man Ben Hill was found to be remorseful for the attack at Rosewhite on May 12 last year.

Victim Jack Boehm feared for his life as he was pinned to the ground and punched multiple times.

Graphic images taken by a policeman showed him covered in blood, his face swollen, and his eye closed shut.

"You assaulted him in an extremely vicious and unprovoked manner," the magistrate told Hill when handing down a maximum one-year jail term this week.

"The victim essentially was an innocent victim driving on the road ... and found himself in hospital with serious injuries."

Hill, who sports a long white beard and scruffy hair, muttered under his breath as he was sentenced.

The 57-year-old appeared largely disinterested, with his hands in his pockets and staring off into the distance.

IN OTHER NEWS:

He didn't make eye contact with Mr Watkins, and immediately appealed the jail term before abandoning the idea.

The court heard a psychologist found Hill wasn't remorseful and had instead laid blame on others for the attack.

He had fought a string of charges laid after the incident but was found guilty in June of intentionally causing injury, reckless conduct endangering serious injury and throwing a missile.

He has since been charged over an unrelated attack alleged to have occurred at a Beechworth pub.

The court heard he will also fight those charges.

Mr Watkins said it was important to deter Hill and others from road rage incidents.

Hill had followed Boehm's Ford Ranger utility for about 30 kilometres from Porepunkah before the assault.

The pair became involved in a cat and mouse game after the use of high beam lights.

Hill launched a can of beer at the victim and tried to punch him through his car window.

He tailgated the man's ute and slammed into the back of it when he braked suddenly to avoid hitting three deer in the middle of the road.

Hill pinned Boehm to the ground and punched him multiple times in the face, leaving him in "immense physical pain".

Mr Watkins said Hill must serve at least six months in custody before being eligible for parole.