A Mosgiel man told police he ''lost the plot'' when he repeatedly punched his pregnant partner but has denied raping her.
The 38-year-old defendant is on trial at the Dunedin District Court accused of rape, indecent assault, injuring with intent to injure and assault with intent to commit sexual violation.
Police interviewed the man on November 13, 2016, the day after the incident.
In the recording, which was played for the jury yesterday, he told Detective Constable Karl O'Dowda he had seven pre-mixed bourbon and colas after work and came home feeling ''a bit horny''.
The defendant said he and his partner had consensual sex and he then left the room to lie on the couch.
When he returned to the bedroom, he told the jury, the woman was lying on the bed breastfeeding one of their children.
''I thought I'd try my luck again,'' he said.
The man said he lay behind her and once the child had left, made his move.
''That's when she turned around and said 'No, no' and punched me in the eye and I lost the plot and punched her back. But there was no rape involved,'' he said.
''I gave her one slap and punched her a couple of times with a closed fist. I'm not a violent person, I don't know what the hell came over me ... I really don't.''
The defendant told Det Const O'Dowda he was affected by alcohol at the time but was adamant he did not rape the woman.
''This is completely confusing to me as it is you. I don't understand where all this has even come from ... I'm just dumbfounded, I'm confused,'' he said during the interview.
''I'll cop to anything else but I didn't rape her. I'm not going to jail for 10 years for something I didn't do.''
He described the violence as the worst thing he had done in his life.
When the defendant gave evidence from the witness box yesterday, he initially said he had actually consumed three times as many cans of bourbon and cola as he first said.
Crown prosecutor Craig Power suggested if that was the case, he would not be able to remember anything about what happened subsequently at home.
''You have increased the amount you had to drink to minimise your conduct,'' he said.
The defendant denied that was the case and later said he might be mistaken about how many cans he drank.
When he was arrested and transported to the police station, he told officers, unprompted, that he did not rape his partner.
''You were arrested for assault; there was no mention of rape, was there?'' Mr Power asked.
The man said he only mentioned it because it was the worst scenario he could think of and he was affected by alcohol at the time.
In relation to the attack on his partner, he said he did not intend to hurt her.
''I blacked out ... I was not aware of my actions at that very moment.''
The complainant earlier told the court the man had held her arms down and pulled her hair when he raped her, then later groped her as she breastfed their child.
It is alleged he tried to pull off her pants and punched her when she resisted.
The defendant denied that version of events.
He argued there was no circumstances under which he would rape his partner.
''I'd prefer to go on the internet and watch porn ... rather than force it on my wife,'' he said.
The trial, before Judge Michael Crosbie and a jury of six men and six women, will hear closing addresses today.
