GUILTY Australia - 3 dead after eating wild mushrooms, Leongatha, Victoria, Aug 2023 *Arrest* #20

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  • #761
Yes, I mentioned earlier that those who might have spoken well of her are now in cemeteries, thanks to her.
Nobody spoke well of her, other than Simon's family which I assume you’re referring to.

What a stupid woman.
 
  • #762

R v Patterson (Sentence) [2025] VSC 557 (8 September 2025)​


Worst category offending

  1. Having regard to the aggravating circumstances of your offending, and the victim impact statements, I have no hesitation in finding that your offending falls into the worst category for the offences of murder and attempted murder. As the case law makes clear, the fact that it is possible to imagine even worse instances of such offences does not refute that categorisation. The gravity of your offending warrants the imposition of the maximum penalties for your crimes.
CIRCUMSTANCES OF OFFENDER


  1. I turn then to your circumstances.
  2. The information I was provided about your personal history was minimal. Your counsel simply relied on the personal history you provided in your trial testimony.There were no psychiatric or psychological reports provided.No references from character witnesses. No doubt, that approach to your plea hearing was based on your instructions, but it means the account of your personal history that I am about to give is limited.

Serious violent offender

  1. Under ss 6A to 6F, you fall to be sentenced as a serious violent offender in respect of the three murders, meaning that the protection of the community is the principal purpose for which the sentences on those counts must be imposed. Unders 6F, your status as a serious violent offender must be entered in the court records.
  2. Section11(1) provides, relevantly, that if a court sentences an offender to be imprisoned for the term of her natural life the court must, as part of the sentence, fix a period during which the offender is not eligible to be released on parole unless it considers that the nature of the offence makes the fixing of such a period inappropriate.
  3. Section11A(4)(a) provides that where an offender is sentenced to life imprisonment, the sentencer must fix a non-parole period of at least 30 years unless it is not in the interests of justice to do so.
 
  • #763
Erin left a lot of breadcrumbs in years of group chats I have access to still. Well, I did - but since she was convicted they have all gone mysteriously missing which can’t happen without a court order. But in the time between her being a suspect and convicted, I went through and screenshot and put into a timeline everything.

Plus, a lot of deduction. A lot of hard work. A lot of people have reached out to me also with past information and proof.
Wow, for someone so 'intelligent' she certainly didn't give a lot of thought to what she said online.

Being a bit of a Pollyanna here, but I really hope you (and all the other victims of EP) can find some positives out of all of this, which will make it somewhat meaningful in terms of our lifes learnings, and also negate her presence as a human being.

Thanks for your reply Detechtive and thanks for all your input in this case which has given us
invaluable insights into EP.
 
  • #764
Wow, for someone so 'intelligent' she certainly didn't give a lot of thought to what she said online.

Being a bit of a Pollyanna here, but I really hope you (and all the other victims of EP) can find some positives out of all of this, which will make it somewhat meaningful in terms of our lifes learnings, and also negate her presence as a human being.

Thanks for your reply Detechtive and thanks for all your input in this case which has given us
invaluable insights into EP.

I think she has issues with boundaries - she told each of us different aspects of her life, and truly trusted a few of her inner circle to never betray her. She had a cult like control over people. I’m sure she is absolutely shocked and overwhelmed that some of her former fiends (all of which she told me were stupid) testified against her. IMO she would have expected complete loyalty. And it’s obvious why, she has a lot of dirt on them, and they were forced to testify basically - after I had spoken to police about the group they didn’t have much choice.
I know one in particular who is writing a “novel” was a hostile witness. Nobody wanted to go against her and I do feel for them because it’s absolutely insane to go against Erin as I’ve experienced. She is the nastiest most vengeful person who had zero morality that I’ve ever encountered. It’s scary.

I wish them all healing even though they acted as her flying monkeys to harm others.
 
  • #765

What you missed inside courtroom as Erin Patterson was jailed for 33 years​

“Erin Patterson’s defiant last act inside a Melbourne courtroom was witnessed by only a handful of journalists. This is what we saw.

Erin Patterson glared at media.

It was a final, defiant look witnessed by two benches full of 12 journalists from Australia and around the world — those who had lined up early enough to claim one of the dozen seats with a view of the triple murderer as she learnt her fate.

For almost 10 seconds, she refused to break eye contact. With her hair down, dressed in a camel coloured jacket and floral shirt, Patterson’s glare struck as an act of intimidation or loathing.

She did not react when Justice Beale recalled her online comments labelling her estranged husband “a deadbeat”.

Then she closed her eyes. They remained closed from 9.52am until 9.59am.

They remained closed while Justice Beale scolded her for “pitiless behaviour”.

They remained closed while he thundered at her about the “elaborate cover up of your guilt” and the “untold suffering” and “enormous betrayal of trust” towards her victims, victims he said “were all your relatives and who had all been good to you”.

As Patterson made her way from the dock, she grabbed a bannister. On her way out the door, she touched every piece of sculpted timber that lined her walkway.

Then she knocked twice on the media desks — a less than subtle message at those who have scrutinised her every action and reaction since the murders.”




 
  • #766
  • #767
My point, which may not have been clear, was that she was given concurrent sentences, meaning she actually has a chance at freedom. If they were served on top of each other, it would effectively mean she'd die in jail. To me, that's the difference.

Forgetting the attempted murder for a minute, it's 33 years for 3 lives, before she can be considered for parole. 33 divided by 3 victims is 11 years each. That was where my (foggy) brain was at.

Your first point above, I understand what you are saying. It is just the way the justice system is in Australia and still too lenient IMO. The severity of this crime and with no mitigating circumstances other than her facing solitary confinement for a number of years, then in my view concurrent sentences should also have resulted in a no-parole period of considerable more ensuring she would be dead before any parole hearing.

For you second point, I am not sure if you are meaning that Justice Beale considered 11 years was appropriate for a single murder and then multiplied by three (forgetting the attempted murder for a minute). I am sure that is not how it works. It just seems to us on the face of it from the math's it looks like 11 years of jail is all one murder is worth, but in reality each additional murder is an ever diminishing increase of years added onto the total effective" years.

Remember thar Justice Beale never mentioned a year quantity for each of the murders) only for the attempted murder at 25 years), only a "life" sentence. There was not meant to be any interpretation of how he determined the total effective sentence.
IMO
 
  • #768
Simon Patterson, the estranged husband of Erin Patterson, was a notable absence at today's sentencing hearing.

He was a last-minute withdrawal from the fatal lunch in 2023, and later told police he had fallen seriously ill after eating his wife's cooking.

Mr Patterson gave evidence at the trial but is yet to conduct any media interviews.

He is expected to break his silence on his own terms — as part of his own multi-episode podcast series.

The ABC understands Mr Patterson will be interviewed by Jess O'Donnell, a public relations consultant who has been working with him for at least a year.

The series has not yet been recorded but could be released before the end of the year.





Be very interesting to see to what detail he would go into!
 
  • #769
Could that only happen if the prosecution lodged their own appeal and argue that the sentence was too light? I am not sure.

I know it seems to be a common occurrence in some countries eg Indonesia that appeals can result in a more adverse sentence to the convicted prisoner - even an upgrade to the death penalty. If I remember correctly, it happened the one of the Bali 9 drug traffickers. IMO

Either/both the prosecution or defence can appeal a sentence. Only the defence can appeal a conviction.

Erin would have to roll the dice and see if appealing her sentence is worth it, because who knows what sentence an appeals court would give. (if they accepted the appeal in the first place)

imo

 
  • #770
  • #771
Either/both the prosecution or defence can appeal a sentence. Only the defence can appeal a conviction.

Erin would have to roll the dice and see if appealing her sentence is worth it, because who knows what sentence an appeals court would give. (if they accepted the appeal in the first place)

imo


Yes, but my question, to put it another way, was if only the defence appealed the sentence (and the prosecution didn't), could it still result in a longer sentence, just from the appeal judge having his/her own idea on what the sentence should be?
 
  • #772
Yes, but my question, to put it another way, was if only the defence appealed the sentence (and the prosecution didn't), could it still result in a longer sentence, just from the appeal judge having his/her own idea on what the sentence should be?

Yes, I understood your question. And yes, it could result in a higher (or lower) sentence no matter which side appealed.

I think what will likely happen is that the defence will seek leave to appeal the conviction and sentence. If they can find suitable grounds to appeal.

Somewhere in his sentencing remarks, Justice Beale said something about the defence doing what Erin wanted them to do. I can't remember the context, but I noticed the remark.

imo
 
  • #773
A few bits I found interesting for the written judgement published today ( my comments in yelloe

Footnote 7

7 -On 6 December 2022 at 1038,you sent this message to the group: ‘I wonder if they've got any capacity for self reflection at all? I mean clearly the fact that Simon refusesto talk about personalissues in part stems from the behaviour of his parentsand how they operate, according to them they have never asked him what's goingon with us, why I keep kicking him out, ...etc, it's too awkward oruncomfortable or something. So that's his behaviour. Just don'ttalk about thisshit (sic).’
Now Erin that's a bit rich isn't it!!


From footnote 65

65. The affidavit of Ophelia Hollway of Doogue + George, solicitors, dated 18 August 2025, indicates, amongst other things that, for the last 15 months, you have been kept in a solitary cell for upwards of 22 hours per day. Your cell is approximately 4 metres by 2.5metres. Your meals and medicine are currently delivered through a flap in the cell door. There is a 2 metre by 2 metre concrete yard which adjoins your cell and by which you can access fresh air, but you require permission to use it. You also require permission to communicate with any other prisoners in the Gordon Unit. You have supervised in-person contact with your children once per month and, usually, Zoom contact with them on Tuesdays and Saturdays but not if you have had, or are having, in-person contact with them within a couple of days.

Erin still has contact with her children, I wonder if that is still the case?
From Footnote 64

64 -There were some traffic matters prior to your marriage but, as mentioned, they are not relevant.

Footnote 31

31 - The jury found that you deliberately served poisoned Beef Wellingtons to your lunch guests. Consistent with that finding, I reject your claim that you served the children the Beef Wellington leftovers on the Sunday night. You would not have taken the risk that your children might also be poisoned. The story about feeding the children the leftovers was a ruse to make others think you were ignorant of the presence of the death cap mushrooms in the fatal meals.

Footnote 40

40 - There were 29 victim impact statements in all, including Ian Wilkinson’s. Some victims did not wish to have their statements referenced in these sentencing reasons

Footnote 45

45 - Your counsel claimed that you have Asperger’s Syndrome. That was based on your self-report to various people. There was no expert evidence to back up that claim. Given your ‘credibility problem’ (on your own admission, you have told numerous lies), I am not willing to accept your claim that you have Asperger’s in the absence of corroborating expert evidence. In other words, I am not persuaded on the balance of probabilities that you have Asperger’s Syndrome.

Good try Erin

Footnote 91 & 92

91 - For the avoidance of doubt,these are not the only provisions of the Sentencing Act 1991 (Vic) to which I have had regard. I also note that a sentencer is obliged to have regard to current sentencing practices by s 5(2)(b) of the Sentencing Act 1991(Vic). But where a sentencer is dealing with a standard sentence offence – relevantly, murder committed on or after 20 March 2017 -the sentencer must not have regard to current sentencing practices for sentences previously imposed where the standard sentencing provisions did not apply: s5B(2)(b) of the Sentencing Act 1991 (Vic). I accept the prosecution’s written submission that ‘[a]pplying that criterion,there are no post-standard sentence cases that are comparable to the present case. In any event,given the highly unusual circumstances and extreme seriousness of the offending in this case, it is submitted that current sentencing practices would not provide much if any meaningful guidance for the sentence task.’

92- See, for example, Yat v The King [2024] VSCA 93 and The Queen v Males [2007] VSCA 302. In Yat, the Court of Appeal held that it was a significant mitigating consideration that a young offender had been held in a management unit for over three years during which he was confined alone to his cell for 22–23 hours every day. His time out of his cell‘ involved a period for exercise in as mall caged area around 12 square metres in size.’ I note that Yat’s small caged exercise area was approximately three times the size of your exercise yard.

Footnote 100

100 - I note too that parole is not automatic.

 
  • #774
I get "page not found", but is this the "Gordon" section that I think is the solitary confinement section? Is it the one that has a courtyard that adjoins the one holding the ISIS terrorist inmate?
I’m not sure which wing of the prison it is, the 9news site didn’t make it clear.

My apologies, 9news must have changed the link since I posted that.

Here is the current link:-

 
  • #775
Simon Patterson, the estranged husband of Erin Patterson, was a notable absence at today's sentencing hearing.

He was a last-minute withdrawal from the fatal lunch in 2023, and later told police he had fallen seriously ill after eating his wife's cooking.

Mr Patterson gave evidence at the trial but is yet to conduct any media interviews.

He is expected to break his silence on his own terms — as part of his own multi-episode podcast series.

The ABC understands Mr Patterson will be interviewed by Jess O'Donnell, a public relations consultant who has been working with him for at least a year.

The series has not yet been recorded but could be released before the end of the year.





Be very interesting to see to what detail he would go into!

Looking forward to Simon's podcast
 
  • #776

Erin Patterson sentenced in mushroom murder trial​

Program:Law Report
9m ago

"Your failure to exhibit any remorse pours salt into all the victims' wounds," said Judge Christopher Beale in sentencing Victorian woman Erin Patterson to life in prison over the fatal poisoning of her estranged husband's elderly relatives.
 
  • #777
Very insightful piece imo
 
  • #778

Erin Patterson: Compensation for victims ‘likely’ to be sought from mushroom killer estate​


Condemned to spend at least the next three decades behind bars, Erin Patterson will “likely” next face a court battle over the home she once hoped to grow old in.

An order, made by Justice Michelle Quigley on July 23, states that “no person shall dispose of or otherwise deal with the property” at 84 Gibson Street, Leongatha.

It further states it is “likely” that an application for restitution or compensation would be made against Patterson.

The restraining order was sought by the Director of Public Prosecutions, who argued the property was considered “tainted” by Patterson’s crimes.

Under Victoria’s Sentencing Act 1991, victims of a crime can apply for restitution or compensation.

Orders for compensation, of an amount a court sees fit, can be made for pain and suffering experienced, for medical and counselling expenses, or for any other expense incurred as a direct result of the offending.

An application for a compensation order must be made within 12 months of a guilty verdict or conviction by a victim or on a victim’s behalf.

Proceedings related to the restraining order over the property are listed to return to the Supreme Court in November for a directions hearing.”




 
  • #779
I thought, or hoped, she'd be sentenced to longer than 10 years per victim. :rolleyes:
 
  • #780
I don't think I can imagine spending my last day ever out of solitary confinement with my eyes shut and my own internal narrative blocking out my surroundings. She continues to unmask herself as the hateful, vengeful, remorseless person she is and will always be, imprisoned in her own wickedness.
 
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