A woman who poisoned three of her estranged husband’s relatives with a beef wellington laced with toxic mushrooms has been handed a life sentence.
On 29 July 2023, Erin Patterson, 50, invited her former in-laws, Don and Gail Patterson, both 70, and Gail Patterson’s sister, Heather Wilkinson, 66, to lunch at her home in Leongatha, a court was told.
The mother-of-two, from Victoria in southern Australia, was found guilty at the Supreme Court trial in Victoria state after six days of jury deliberation, following a nine-week trial. The news comes as two women were found dead 5 months apart as police arrest man for murder.
The jury convicted Patterson of the murders of Don and Gail Patterson, and Heather Wilkinson. She was also found guilty of attempting to murder Heather’s husband, Ian Wilkinson.
Today, Justice Christopher Beale sentenced Patterson to life imprisonment at the same court, reports the Mirror.
‘Substantial pre-meditation’
Prosecutors argued that Patterson’s breach of trust, use of poison as a weapon, and premeditation of the poisonings were all aggravating factors. The defence countered that Patterson’s isolation in prison for safety reasons made her time behind bars particularly challenging and psychologically harsh, serving as a mitigating factor.
Justice Beale stated that Patterson’s murders involved “substantial pre-meditation”. He said Patterson invited the guests with the intention of killing them all.
He added: “The motives for such murders may only ever be known to the offenders. Clearly, the jury was satisfied beyond reasonable doubt that you committed the alleged offences. Only you know why you committed them. I will not be speculating about that matter.”
Justice Beale said Erin Patterson betrayed the trust of those closest to her, stating: “Your offending involved an enormous betrayal of trust. Your victims were all your relatives by marriage. More than that, they had all been good to you and your children over many years, as you acknowledged in your testimony.”
No remorse
He further added: “Your failure to exhibit any remorse pours salt into all of the victims’ wounds.”
In his summary of the hearing, Justice Christopher Beale said: “Having regard to the aggravating circumstances of your offending and the victim impact statements, I have no hesitation in finding that your offending falls into the worst category for the offences of murder and attempted murder.
“The gravity of your offending warrants the imposition of the maximum penalties for your crimes.”
Erin Patterson’s conditions in prison
Justice Beale clarified that Patterson has been given a maximum security rating in prison due to her notorious crimes, placing her at “significant risk” from other inmates. The court was informed that Patterson is being held at the Dame Phyllis Frost Centre, where she spends approximately 22 hours a day in her cell and is not permitted to mingle with other prisoners.
Her meals and medication are passed through a hatch in her cell door, and during lockdowns, she remains in her cell for the entire 24 hours. She has minimal interaction with others or access to facilities such as the library.
In terms of sentencing
Justice Beale handed down the following sentence to Patterson:.
Full sentence: life imprisonment with a non-parole period of 33 years.
Patterson will be returned to the Dame Phyllis Frost Centre, where she has been sentenced to spend at least the next 33 years of her life. Justice Beale stated: “There is a substantial chance that for your protection you will continue to be held in solitary confinement for years to come.”