Judge condemns Erin Patterson’s mushroom killings as among the worst crimes imaginable
Erin Patterson, whose mushroom lunch left three people dead and one gravely ill, has been sentenced to life in prison by the Supreme Court of Victoria. Justice Christopher Beale imposed a non-parole period of 33 years, meaning Patterson, now 50, cannot seek release until 2056, when she will be in her 80s.
The decision brings to a close one of Australia’s most notorious true crime sagas, which began in July 2023 when Patterson hosted a family meal at her home in Leongatha, Victoria. Guests unknowingly consumed death-cap mushrooms baked into individual portions of Beef Wellington. Three died; one, Ian Wilkinson, survived but lost his wife, Heather.
Nine weeks ago, a jury convicted Patterson on three counts of murder and one count of attempted murder. Today’s sentencing confirmed what many expected: that she would spend most of her life behind bars.
Embed from Getty ImagesJustice Beale described the offences as falling within the “worst category” of murder and attempted murder. He noted the absence of remorse, the number of victims, and the need to denounce such conduct publicly. “There was no plea of guilty and no expression of remorse,” he said, emphasising the weight of denunciation in his decision.
The judge highlighted that in cases involving multiple victims, the minimum non-parole period is 25 years. But given the gravity of Patterson’s crimes, he extended it to 33 years. Although Victoria allows life terms without parole, such orders are rare. For context, Beale referenced the 2019 Bourke Street killings, where the perpetrator received a life sentence with a 46-year non-parole period.
Patterson’s lawyer, Colin Mandy, did not oppose the prosecution’s bid for life imprisonment, focusing instead on the non-parole calculation. Arguments about her “harsh” detention were considered. The judge acknowledged she has spent 15 months in near-continuous solitary confinement for her protection, and said such conditions may continue for years.
Even so, factors like deterrence and denunciation outweighed mitigation. Rehabilitation was not seriously advanced by the defence, and no evidence of mental disorder was presented.
The court heard deeply emotional victim impact statements in August. Sole survivor Ian Wilkinson spoke of his “half life” without his wife. Patterson’s estranged husband, Simon Patterson, did not attend but his statement was read aloud: their children, he said, had been robbed of the relationship with their mother that every child deserves. Ruth Dubois, the Wilkinsons’ daughter, told the court of the ripple effects across the wider community, from health workers to mushroom growers, who were unfairly associated with the crimes.
Justice Beale noted that victim statements must now be considered under Victorian law, reinforcing how sentencing accounts for the human devastation of crime.
The outcome has shocked few. For months, media coverage turned Patterson into a household name. From the grisly details of the fatal lunch to speculation about her motives, the case has transfixed the country. With the sentence now delivered, the chapter appears closed — at least until an appeal is filed.
Patterson has 28 days to lodge an appeal against her conviction, her sentence, or both. Grounds could include the admission of evidence or the judge’s directions to the jury, though such challenges are rarely successful. Defence lawyers might alternatively argue that the non-parole term is excessive. The prosecution, for its part, could contend it was too lenient.
Whatever the legal manoeuvres ahead, the reality for Erin Patterson is stark: she will remain in prison for decades, with the earliest chance of freedom not arriving until she is an elderly woman.