Australian prosecutors appeal Erin Patterson's "manifestly inadequate" sentence for mushroom murders
Australian prosecutors are challenging Erin Patterson's 33-year non-parole sentence after she was convicted of killing three relatives with death cap mushrooms and attempting a fourth murder.
Prosecutors in Victoria have appealed the sentence of Erin Patterson, arguing it was manifestly inadequate.
Life sentence challenged
In September, 51-year-old Patterson received a life term with a minimum 33-year non-parole period after being convicted of serving death cap mushrooms to three relatives, killing them, and attempting to kill a fourth.
The Victorian Department of Public Prosecutions lodged its appeal before Monday’s deadline, stating the severity of the crime warrants a harsher penalty.
Background of the case
- Patterson served beef Wellington laced with death caps to her in-laws, Don and Gail Patterson (both 70), and Gail’s sister, Heather Wilkinson (66), in 2023.
- Ian Wilkinson, Heather’s husband and a local pastor, survived but suffers long-term health issues.
- Patterson’s estranged husband, Simon, had avoided the meal, later revealing he believed his wife had repeatedly tried to poison him.
The case attracted intense global media attention, turning a small Morwell courthouse into a focal point for reporters, podcasters and documentary makers.
Sentencing considerations
Justice Christopher Beale acknowledged the gravity of Patterson’s crime as among the worst but allowed for parole due to her harsh pre-sentencing conditions, including 15 months in solitary confinement and risks to her safety from other inmates.
Patterson is held at Melbourne’s Dame Phyllis Frost Centre in near-isolation, spending 22 hours a day alone.
Australian prosecutors argue that the 33-year non-parole period fails to reflect the premeditated nature and tragic outcome of the deaths, seeking a tougher sentence to ensure justice and public safety.
This topic was reported by BBC.
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