Adrian Bayley has been jailed for a minimum of 35 years for the rape and murder of Irish woman Jill Meagher in Melbourne last September.

Meagher’s widower Tom has described the sentence as a “disgrace”.

Bayley, 41, was sentenced to life for the murder of the 29-year-old and 15 years for what Justice Geoffrey Nettle said was "a savage violent rape of the worst kind".

Justice Nettle of the Victorian Supreme Court ruled that Bayley would have to serve at least 35-years behind bars before being considered for parole, RTE reports.

The accused stared at the floor throughout sentencing as his victim's husband Tom, parents George and Edith McKeon, and her brother Michael McKeon looked on.

During a pre-sentencing hearing last week the prosecution revealed Bayley's long history of attacks on women, which spanned over two decades.

Bayley was out on parole for the rape of five women when he pounced on Meagher as she walked home after a night out with work colleagues.

Speaking to ABC Australia after the sentencing hearing, Tom Meagher broke down describing his late wife as "the funniest girl in the world".

He said: "I don't think anything's enough. I can't think of a worse person than that man. And I wasn't expecting anything else. I wasn't expecting the judge to hand down life without parole, simply because people had told me this wouldn't happen.

"I certainly don't think the sentence for the rape charge was enough at all. Given what this man has done in the past, I think that 15 years [for rape] is a disgrace, considering the maximum penalty for rape is 25."

The Irish man spoke about how much his life has changed since his wife's death.

"It's made me extraordinarily angry, really fearful," he said. "I mean and that's the worst thing for me. Because the way Jill and I lived was very free of that.

"We trusted people that we met, just because I think that's a good way to live, just because you can be open with people and you can be honest with people if you're like that and I think that's been ruined for me. And I think that's the worst part of it. It's just not being able to be myself anymore.

"She was incredibly funny. Incredibly witty. Just so smart and intelligent that she just brightened up any room she was in."

The victim’s father issued a statement on behalf of her family.

"The police and prosecutors have ensured that justice has been done and we as a family want to thank them for this," he said.

The family has "no sense of personal outrage, just a feeling of great sadness and great loss," he added.

The victim's family has asked for "privacy and space" following the sentencing.