Erin Patterson, the woman who has become known as 'Australia's mushroom murderer,' has been sentenced to life for the murders of Don and Gail Patterson and Heather Wilkinson, and the attempted murder of Ian Wilkinson.
Patterson had spent the last 15 months in solitary confinement, and her notoriety has led Justice Christopher Beale, speaking at her sentencing hearing, to suggest Patterson will stay in solitude for some years to come.
What did Erin Patterson do?
Born Erin Trudi Scutter, Patterson met husband Simon Patterson in the early 2000s. The pair married in 2007 and had two children soon after.
They separated in 2015, although they remain officially married. At the start of 2023, Erin was due to begin a nursing and midwifery course, although she ultimately deferred her start date for a year.
On July 29, 2023, the 50-year-old invited her former parents-in-law, Don and Gail Patterson, to her home in Leongatha, Victoria, for lunch. Both aged 70 at the time, Don and Gail were joined by Gail's sister, Heather Wilkinson, and her husband, Reverend Ian Wilkinson.
Serving her guests beef Wellington with mashed potatoes and green beans, Patterson laced the Wellington with deadly death cap mushrooms, also known as amanita phalloides.
To avoid answering questions surrounding why she hadn't invited her children to the lunch, Patterson fabricated a cancer diagnosis. She pretended not to want to discuss how to break the news to them until after the meal was over.
The four guests immediately became ill after eating the food Patterson prepared. Heather Wilkinson and Gail Patterson subsequently died on August 4, Don Patterson passed away a day later on August 5.
Reverend Wilkinson spent seven weeks in hospital but survived the poisoning, although he did need a liver transplant in order to recover.
Erin Patterson had also invited her former husband, Simon, to attend the lunch, but he had declined the invitation.
Why did Erin Patterson kill?
No motive for Erin Patterson's crimes has been established, and she is yet to reveal one.
Speaking about the absence of motive, Justice Christopher Beale said, "Clearly, the jury was satisfied beyond reasonable doubt that you committed the alleged offences."
He added, "Only you know why you committed them. I will not be speculating about that matter."
Incredibly, during Ian Wilkinson's statement made in court last month, he offered Patterson forgiveness. "In regard to the many harms done to me, I make an offer of forgiveness to Erin," he said.
He added, "I bear her no ill will. My prayer for her is that she will use her time in jail wisely to become a better person. Now I am no longer Erin Patterson's victim and she has become the victim of my kindness."
Justice Beale suggested Patterson think carefully about these words of forgiveness, concluding, "that offer of forgiveness presents you with an opportunity. You would do well to embrace it in the manner he suggests."
How long will Erin Patterson go to prison for?
Erin Patterson has been sentenced to life in prison, with a non-parole period of 33 years. The 50-year-old will be in her 80s before she can apply to be released.
Patterson pleaded not guilty at her trial, insisting the events that unfolded after the fatal lunch were a tragic accident. Now that she's been sentenced, she has 28 days to formally lodge an appeal.
Speaking to woman&home, Sarah Port, deputy head of the Probation Delivery Unit in North Essex, discussed how she approaches communicating with female prisoners. This offers insight into what Erin Patterson's life in a female prison could look like.
"Reading the details of their offence, it’s easy to build a preconceived idea," she says. Sarah adds, "But sitting across from them, hearing about their life, can be different. For the most part, I believe people aren’t good or bad – they make good choices or bad choices."
Continuing to share her insights into working with those who've committed serious crimes, Sarah reveals, "Many of them have real feelings of shame. Of course, it’s important to remember they have often committed very serious offences that could be repeated.
"Balancing the risk with humanity is crucial. If you believe someone can change, chances are they will believe it too."
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