Patrick Plumbe, 60, was killed one day after making his new wife Margaret Vandergulik the sole beneficiary of his $1 million superannuation fund.

His charred body was found behind the steering wheel of his burnt-out ute beside Wangaratta-Devenish Road, in northeastern Victoria on April 28, 2005.

Vandergulik, 61, formerly of Kialla near Shepparton, pleaded guilty to manslaughter and was on Friday jailed for nine years.

Victorian Supreme Court judge Justice Murray Kellam said Vandergulik had shown a “callous indifference” to fulfil a duty of care to her husband as she left him to burn in his car.

“This case is a most serious example of the crime of manslaughter by criminal negligence,” Justice Kellam said.

He added Vandergulik’s actions were the more culpable because she had failed to ensure whether he was dead or alive even though she could help him given her expertise as a nurse.

Justice Kellam said Vandergulik had not shown any remorse or helped police in their investigation, which she tried to manipulate.

Vandergulik was to stand trial for murder in October last year but entered a plea of guilty to the lesser charge of manslaughter.

She must serve a minimum term of six years.