MIAMI — A man whose wife disappeared while they honeymooned at sea was sentenced by a federal judge to eight years in prison for involuntary manslaughter.

Lewis Bennett, 42, apologized to the family of Isabella Hellman during a Tuesday hearing before U.S. District Judge Federico Moreno in Miami. He waived his right to appeal.

Defense attorneys sought a 7-year sentence, a year lower than the maximum number spelled out in a plea agreement reached last November. Bennett was originally charged with murder, with investigators alleging he intentionally tried to sink the boat, but later dropped the charges.

"It's not because I expect that he will commit this crime again," Judge Moreno said. "Sentencing is for punishment."

Lewis Bennett killed his wife, Isabella Hellmann, while on their honeymoon at sea in 2017. BrowardSheriff?s Office

Before Moreno announced his decision, Bennett, a dual citizen of Australia and the United Kingdom, asked the judge that he let him get out of prison sooner so he could continue to raise the couple's daughter, who was an infant when the mother vanished. Emelia Bennett turns 3 in July and is being raised by his parents in Scotland.

"If you may permit me to be with my daughter as soon as possible," Bennett said. "I want to bring her up in a manner that is respectful to my wife's wishes."

But Moreno sided with prosecutors and chose eight years in prison as the sentence and three years on supervised release.

Hellman disappeared as the couple sailed off the Bahamas in May 2017.

A statement from the U.S. Attorney's office says