Erin Patterson: Australian mushroom murderer loses appeal, faces dying in prison
Australian mushroom murderer Erin Patterson lost a bid to overturn her convictions on Friday, failing to prove she was wrongfully jailed for killing three people with a poisoned lunch.
Erin Patterson has lost her appeal against her convictions for three counts of murder and one count of attempted murder, and will now serve a life sentence in prison. The Victorian Court of Appeal upheld the prosecution's appeal and removed the 33-year non-parole period that was initially set by the trial judge. Known as the "mushroom murderer," Patterson mixed death cap mushrooms into the beef wellington she served to the relatives of her estranged husband during a lunch at her house in July 2023.
Despite denying the charges, claiming the poisoning was accidental, Patterson was convicted and sentenced to life imprisonment during an 11-week trial. The Court of Appeal dismissed Patterson's appeal but allowed the Director of Public Prosecutions' appeal against her sentence, arguing that it was "manifestly inadequate". The court upheld the 33-year non-parole period, citing Patterson's elaborate series of deceptions, her false cancer claim, and her cruel breach of trust with her relatives.
Patterson now has one remaining option: an application for special leave to appeal to the High Court of Australia. If that application is denied or not made, the decision is final, and Patterson will spend the rest of her life in prison.
Written by urgent.news from The Conversation AU's reporting — not their text. Machine-written — may contain errors; check the original before relying on it.
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