An Australian man has been sentenced to 10 years in jail for encouraging his wife’s suicide.

Graham Morant, 68, was convicted of counselling and aiding his wife, Jennifer Morant, to take her own life in 2014. He had been motivated by a desire to access Mrs Morant’s life insurance benefits, a judge ruled. As sole beneficiary of the policy, Morant had stood to receive A$1.4m (£770,000; $1m). Mrs Morant had suffered from chronic pain, depression and anxiety, but was not terminally ill.

Morant had pleaded not guilty to the charges, but a jury found that Mrs Morant would not have ended her life without his counselling.

The 56-year-old woman was found dead alongside a petrol generator in her car on 30 November 2014. Nearby, a note read: “Please don’t resuscitate me.”Her husband had previously driven her to a hardware store to buy the generator, the jury was told.

“You took advantage of her vulnerability as a sick and depressed woman,” he said. Morant received a maximum 10-year sentence for the charge of counselling suicide, and a six-year sentence for the charge of aiding suicide. The sentences will be served concurrently.