Dean Blackhall, 28, will spend the next five and a half months in jail for punching the woman in the face and then trying to drag her back to his car after he drove her to a secluded spot on the Mornington Peninsula on December 29, 2013.

Blackhall gave the woman a lift after approaching her at a bus stop in McCrae and chatting, the County Court heard on Monday.

The woman was heading to Frankston to catch a train to Melbourne and then travel to Sydney, and Blackhall drove her to nearby Arthurs Seat where they took in the view.

But from there they drove south, and judge Susan Cohen said it was understandable the woman panicked and became distressed when they drove down a dirt road.

A jury found Blackhall guilty of intentionally causing injury, for punching the woman after parking. He had claimed he punched her when she grabbed the steering wheel while he was driving.

The jury was also given alternative charges, of assault and assault with intent to rape, and found him guilty of the former. Blackhall denied trying to drag the woman to the car.

The woman escaped and was rescued when a couple driving past drove her to a police station.

Judge Cohen said she could not make a ruling on why Blackhall drove the woman in the opposite direction she wanted or tried to drag her towards his car.

But she said Blackhall was one of many young men who used violence against women when they were frustrated, angry or did not get their own way.

Blackhall has past convictions for violent conduct against an ex-girlfriend and drug, driving and dishonesty offences. He was abusing the drugs ice and cannabis at the time of the offending. He completed a 16-month jail term just before his trial began and Judge Cohen sentenced him to spend another six months in prison, minus his past fortnight in custody.

"In your case there is clearly a need for you to try to control your tendency to use violence when a woman is not prepared to do as your wish," the judge said.

"Your past offending and subsequent offending indicates you have not learned that lesson."

Judge Cohen also imposed a nine-month community corrections order to begin when Blackhall is released.