Court orders Erin Patterson never to be released from prison for mushroom poisonings
Summary
Victoria’s Court of Appeal dismissed Erin Patterson’s appeal against her convictions and removed the minimum prison term that could have made her eligible for parole. The judges ruled that the crimes were so serious that she must remain in prison for life, though she can ask Australia’s High Court to review the convictions and sentence.Key Facts
- Patterson was convicted of murdering three relatives of her estranged husband and attempting to murder a fourth.
- The victims ate a meal at Patterson’s home in Leongatha, Victoria, in July 2023.
- The three murder victims were Don Patterson, Gail Patterson and Heather Wilkinson; Ian Wilkinson survived after weeks in hospital.
- Patterson said she added death cap mushrooms to the meal by accident.
- The appeals court upheld her convictions and granted prosecutors’ request to remove her 33-year nonparole period.
- Justice Stephen McLeish said the court found the crimes involved “shocking criminality” and were extraordinarily cold and calculated.
- Patterson can apply to Australia’s High Court, her last appeal option.
- Patterson is the second woman in Australia sentenced to life in prison without the possibility of parole.
Read the Full Article
This is a fact-based summary from The Actual News. Click below to read the complete story directly from the original source.
