From the Guardian · · 2m
Patterson to die in prison after losing mushroom murder appeal
Victoria's highest court upholds life sentence with no parole for woman who poisoned three people at a lunch she hosted.
In brief
Victoria's highest court upholds life sentence with no parole for woman who poisoned three people at a lunch she hosted. Erin Patterson lost her appeal against convictions for murdering three people with death cap mushrooms at a beef wellington lunch and was resentenced to life without parole. Originally reported by…
Appeal rejected, sentence upheld
Victoria's court of appeal ruled on Friday that Erin Patterson's convictions stand and she must serve life imprisonment with no chance of release.
The crimes and victims
Patterson, fifty-two, murdered her estranged husband's parents Don and Gail Patterson and his aunt Heather Wilkinson at a lunch she hosted. She also attempted to murder Heather's husband Ian Wilkinson.
The poisoned meal
Patterson served beef wellington laced with death cap mushrooms. Ian Wilkinson survived after spending weeks in hospital. The other three died from the poisoning.
Original sentence increased
Patterson was last year sentenced to life with a non-parole period of thirty-three years. The court of appeal granted the director of public prosecutions' appeal and increased the sentence to life without parole.
Justices describe calculated cruelty
Justice Peter McLeish said Patterson sustained intent to murder all four people for three weeks and the offending was carefully planned and deliberate with elaborate deceptions.
“This offending was extraordinarily cold and calculated, and stands to be denounced in the strongest possible terms.”
Court rejects jury sequestration claim
Patterson's lawyers argued that jurors staying in the same hotel as police and prosecution during deliberations was a catastrophic failure. The court found it highly undesirable but found no evidence of wrongdoing.
Court dismisses most appeal grounds
Justices described many of Patterson's seven grounds as having no substance, being without merit, or even fanciful. They granted leave on only the first two grounds but dismissed the appeal.
Rare sentence in Australian history
Patterson is one of only a handful of Victorian offenders sentenced to life without parole and one of the only women in Australian history to receive this sentence.
Next step: high court application
Patterson must now apply to the high court for leave to appeal if she wishes to continue fighting her conviction or sentence. She did not attend Friday's hearing in person.
The takeaway
Erin Patterson lost her appeal against convictions for murdering three people with death cap mushrooms at a beef wellington lunch and was resentenced to life without parole.
