The Port Elizabeth high court on Wednesday sentenced a man for raping his wife.

Zukile July, 35, was sentenced to life imprisonment for raping and sodomising his then 30-year-old estranged wife on March 30 2018 in Motherwell.

"July and the victim had individually attended a family gathering at a relative's house on the day of the incident. After midnight the victim went to sleep in one of the rooms. July called her and asked to join her," said National Prosecuting Authority (NPA) spokesperson Anelisa Ngcakani.

"She agreed and soon after he arrived in the room - grabbed, strangled, raped and sodomised her. During the assault he bit her on various parts of her body to the point of biting off a portion of her left ear."

After raping the woman, July fell asleep. She then managed to escape and ran to her cousin’s home. She was rushed to hospital.

July was arrested on April 12 2018 by members of the PE family violence and sexual offences unit.

"He was sentenced to life imprisonment for three counts of rape and three years for assault with intent to do grievous bodily harm. The sentences will all run concurrently," said Ngcakani.

Eastern Cape acting director of public prosecutions Livingstone Sakata welcomed the sentences.