A former lover who bashed and stabbed the mother of his child has been sentenced to at least 18 years in prison for her murder.

Melbourne man Makeny 'Nelson' Banek, 25, had pleaded guilty to beating and stabbing aspiring lawyer Abuk Akek, 20, before laying her in her bed and placing a white plastic rose next to her body in March 2016.

On Wednesday Banek was sentenced to 23 years in prison, with a non-parole period of 18 years.

Makeny 'Nelson' Banek, 25, who bashed and stabbed the mother of his child Abuk Akek, 20, has been sentenced to at least 18 years for her murder

The Sudanese refugee admitted murdering the mother of his son on March 13, 2016 after he 'snapped'

The pair had moved from Sudan to Australia as refugees but had separated a month before the frenzied killing, remaining in contact so Banek, could see their young son.

Banek admitted to murdering Ms Akek, also known as Jackie Deng, saying he 'snapped'.

He said it was because 'I loved her very much but she did not love me'.

Victorian Supreme Court Justice Michael Croucher said Banek had become 'enraged that Ms Akek did not want him in her life'.

'He made a calculated choice to take the life of the mother of his son as if somehow it was his prerogative to do so

'Ms Akek's last moments of her life must have been terrifying.'

On the day of her murder, Banek says he went to Ms Akek's Melton home to sort out things between them a day after the pair had an argument about their son.

Following his arrest, Banek said he 'used a knife and my fists'. He said Ms Akek had told him she didn't want him in her life

Following the fatal attack Banek laid Ms Akek in her bed and placed a white plastic rose next to her body

Family and friends discovered the slain mother's body after they were unable to reach her by phone

Ms Akek was talking to a friend on the phone when she told them 'there's someone at the door, I'll call you back' about 2.30pm.

She let Banek in and he sat on the couch before the pair began arguing.

Banek kicked, punched and choked Ms Akek with his hands, and hit her with a stereo speaker.

He then went into the kitchen, picked up a knife, and stabbed her three times in the abdomen.

Afterwards, he placed her body on her bed along with a rose, covered her with a blanket, and cleaned the unit.

'I think the rose gesture is weird and disturbing,' Justice Croucher said.

Banek kicked, punched and choked the young mouther with his hands, and hit her with a stereo speaker. He then stabbed her three times in the abdomen with a knife

Banek had a history of violence and was jailed for seven months for assaulting Ms Akek before he murdered her

He left Ms Akek's home, taking the knife with him, and Ms Akek's phone because he couldn't find his own.

'That was callous,' Justice Croucher said.

Family and friends discovered the slain mother's body after they were unable to reach her by phone.

Police arrested Banek at 9pm that night after finding him asleep on the couch at a friend's house.

He admitted what he had done, saying 'I snapped, I used a knife and my fists'.

He said Ms Akek had told him she didn't want him in her life.

'When I snapped, I decided to beat her up and kill her,' Banek told police.

'In my head I thought 'just kill her' - so I did.'

Banek had a history of violence and was jailed for seven months for assaulting Ms Akek before he murdered her.

'The murder of Ms Akek against that background increases his moral culpability,' Justice Croucher said.