Erin Patterson is a 50 year old mother in Australia convicted of killing three of her relatives with poisonous death cap mushrooms. Despite being sentenced to life in prison in September prosecutors have filed an appeal, labeling her 33 year non parole period as “manifestly inadequate”.
Patterson was convicted in July for the deaths of Gail and Donald Patterson and Heather Willkinson who died after consuming her beef Wellington.
In July a jury found Patterson guilty of three counts of murder and one count of attempted murder following a 2023 lunch where she served the beef Wellington. While Justice Christopher Beale imposed the maximum penalty of life imprisonment he granted Patterson the possibility of parole in 2056.
Prosecutors argue the judge placed too much weight on her prison conditions. Accouding to court filings the prosecution claims “it was inappropriate for the sentencing judge to fix a non-parole period” arguing that the gravity of the triple murder demanded a true life sentence without the possibility of release.
During the original sentencing Justice Beale did not mince words regarding the calculated nature of the crime noting that Patterson had engaged in a cover up, “The gravity of your offending warrants the imposition of the maximum penalties for your crimes”. He also noted her lack of remorse, “pours salt into all the victims wounds”.
The prosecutions appeal specifically targets the judges assumptions that Patterson would remain in solitary confinement indefinitely. Court fillings suggest the judge “erred in finding that there was a ‘substantial chance’ the respondent would be held in solitary confinement for years to come.
Ian Wilkinson who was the only survivor spoke in court saying, “I’d like to encourage all those involved to keep turning up and serving others. Our lives and the life of our community depends on the kindness of others.”
