MELBOURNE, Australia – An Australian woman who poisoned three of her former in-laws and severely injured another with a mushroom-laced meal has been sentenced to life in prison without the possibility of parole for 33 years. The shocking case, which captivated the nation, concluded with a judge calling the crime a "profound betrayal of trust."
On Monday, Justice Christopher Beale of the Victoria Supreme Court handed down the sentence to Erin Patterson. She was found guilty in July of three counts of murder and one count of attempted murder. The victims, her former parents-in-law Don and Gail Patterson, and Gail’s sister Heather Wilkinson, died after eating a lunch prepared by Erin Patterson. Heather's husband, Ian Wilkinson, survived the poisoning but required weeks of hospitalization.
The incident occurred in July 2023. At the time, Erin Patterson was separated from her husband, Simon Patterson. He was also invited to the lunch but did not attend, an absence that likely saved his life.
Justice Beale delivered a stern rebuke of Patterson's actions. "The victims were all relatives by marriage," he stated. "They were all good to the defendant and her children, and yet, the defendant took three lives, depriving children of their grandparents and causing immense suffering."
Both the prosecution and the defense agreed that a life sentence was appropriate for the three murder charges and one charge of attempted murder. Patterson's legal team had requested that she be eligible for parole after serving 30 years, but the prosecution argued against any possibility of early release. The court ultimately ruled that she would be eligible for parole in November 2056, after serving 33 years. At that time, Patterson will be 82 years old. The case highlights the devastating consequences of a crime that shattered a family and shook a community.
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