Robert Rickerby who bashed his partner Jessica Geddes to death before eating takeaway pizza jailed in Melbourne
A man who collected takeaway pizza after brutally beating his partner to death has been jailed for at least 11 years.
Robert Rickerby, 30, pleaded guilty to the manslaughter of Jessica Geddes in Melbourne’s south-east.
The 27-year-old was left in the bedroom of their Endeavor Hills estate on November 6, 2020, after suffering extensive injuries to her head and chest.
After the fatal bashing, Rickerby went to pick up two pizzas and ate several pieces 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 murdering his partner at their Melbourne home
When paramedics arrived they confirmed Mrs Geddes was already dead.
High Court Judge James Elliott sentenced Rickerby to 15 years and six months in prison on Friday for the brutal murder of an extremely vulnerable person.
“You brutally took the life of someone you trusted,” the judge told Rickerby.
He is eligible for parole after serving 11 years in prison and has already served two years and two months behind bars.
It took detectives 18 months to charge Rickerby over Mrs Geddes’ death, the court was told.
He was extradited from Queensland in April 2022 to face one count of murder, but contested the charge and instead offered to plead guilty to manslaughter in May 2024.
The prosecution accepted the offer, with Rickerby formally pleading guilty at the High Court on Monday.
Jessica Geddes (pictured) was physically and verbally abused by Rickerby for years before her death, prosecutor told court
Police could not say exactly when Ms Geddes was killed, although it was sometime between 2.40pm and 5.55pm on November 6.
A forensic examiner found Ms Geddes would have been dead for at least 30 minutes by the time paramedics examined her at 6.48pm.
She died of complications from fractures and other injuries caused by Ricker punching, kicking or hitting her.
Mrs Geddes had been physically and verbally abused by Rickerby for years before her death, the prosecutor told the court.
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