A man who picked up takeaway pizza after brutally beating his partner to death has been sentenced to at least 11 years in prison.
Robert Rickerby, 30, pleaded guilty to the manslaughter of Jessica Geddes in Melbourne’s south-east.
The 27-year-old was left to die in the bedroom of her Endeavor Hills property on November 6, 2020, after suffering extensive blunt force injuries to her head and chest.
After the fatal attack, Rickerby went to pick up two pizzas and ate several before calling his parents.
They encouraged him to call an ambulance, which he did 30 minutes later.
Robert Rickerby will spend up to 15 and a half years behind bars after admitting killing his partner at their Melbourne home.
When paramedics arrived, they confirmed that Geddes was already dead.
Supreme Court Justice James Elliott on Friday sentenced Rickerby to 15 years and six months in prison for the brutal murder of an extremely vulnerable person.
“You have brutally taken the life of someone who trusted you,” the judge told Rickerby.
He will be eligible for parole after serving 11 years in prison and has already spent two years and two months behind bars.
It took detectives 18 months to charge Rickerby over Ms Geddes’ death, the court was told.
He was extradited from Queensland on a murder charge in April 2022, but contested the charge and offered to plead guilty to manslaughter in May 2024.
Prosecutors accepted the offer and Rickerby formally pleaded guilty before the Supreme Court on Monday.
Jessica Geddes (pictured) had been subjected to years of physical and verbal abuse by Rickerby before her death, the prosecutor told the court.
Police were unable to say exactly when Ms Geddes was murdered, although it was sometime between 2.40pm and 5.55pm on November 6.
A forensic examiner found that Ms Geddes would have been dead for at least 30 minutes when paramedics examined her at 6:48 p.m.
He died from complications of fractures and other injuries caused by Rickerby’s punches, kicks or blows.
Ms Geddes had been subjected to years of physical and verbal abuse by Rickerby before her death, the prosecutor told the court.
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