Welcome to www.20304050.best’s live blog covering Erin Patterson’s sentence.
The 50-year-old mother-of-two will be sentenced in the Victorian Supreme Court after a jury in July found her guilty of serving four members of her estranged husband’s family a meal laced with death cap mushrooms in 2023.
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For the attempted murder of Ian Wilkinson, Erin was sentenced to 25 years in prison.
For the murder of Don Patterson, 70, Erin was sentenced to life in prison.
For the murder of Gail Patterson, 70, Erin was sentenced to life in prison.
For the murder of Heather Wilkinson, 66, Erin was sentenced to life in prison.
All sentences will be served concurrently.
Erin will be in her early 80s when she will be eligible for parole.
Erin Patterson has been sentenced to life behind bars with a non-parole period of 33 years.
Erin Patterson has left the Victorian Supreme Court and is heading back to the Dame Phyllis Frost Centre to serve out her prison sentence.
She’ll remain at the maximum security women’s prison until 2056 when she is eligible for parole.
The Korumburra Baptist Church, where Ian Wilkinson is the pastor, has released a statement following Erin’s sentence.
The church’s leadership team said while justice was important it did not bring back the beloved members of their church.
“We now have only memories and echoes of their wisdom, compassion and humour. We look forward to being reuinted with them in the future.
“We continue to love, support and pray for the Wilkinson and Patterson families in their ongoing grief.
“We also continue to pray for Erin.
“It is time for people and communities to be given the peace and space to heal and move forward.
“For God so loved the world that he gave his only Son, so that all who believe in Him, shall not perish but have eternal life. John 3:16.”
The convicted mushroom killer has 28 days to lodge an appeal.
After October 6 she will still be able to lodge an appeal but will need to file an extension of time application.
Erin did not show any emotion as her sentence was handed down.
At one stage she closed her eyes as Justice Beale started to go through his reasonings.
The only sound that could be heard in the courtroom was the clinking of chains when the judge finished his sentence and Erin started to walk back to the cell where she is being held.
Ian Wilkinson is speaking outside the Victorian Supreme Court following Erin Patterson’s sentence.
He thanked police for their work saying they did a “wonderful job” in ensuring justice was served.
“They made a professional, efficient and effective investigation into what happened at the lunch,” he said.
“They brought to light the truth of what happened with the death of three good people.
“We’re grateful for their skills that brought this truth to light, and I’m also very grateful for the kindness and compassion they showed us, me and my family throughout the long process that has brought us to this day.”
Wilkison thanked the countless people, not only in Australia but across the world, for their ongoing support and asked for privacy moving forward.
“Finally, I want to say thank you to the many people from across Australia and around the world who, through their prayers and messages of support, have encouraged us,” he said.
“I thank the people of the Leongatha and Korumburra communities in particular, your thoughtfulness and care has been a great encouragement to us.
“That’s all I wish to say for now. Please respect our privacy as we continue to grieve and heal. Thank you for listening.”
For the attempted murder of Ian Wilkinson, Erin was sentenced to 25 years in prison.
For the murder of Don Patterson, 70, Erin was sentenced to life in prison.
For the murder of Gail Patterson, 70, Erin was sentenced to life in prison.
For the murder of Heather Wilkinson, 66, Erin was sentenced to life in prison.
All sentences will be served concurrently.
Erin will be in her early 80s when she will be eligible for parole.
Erin Patterson has been sentenced to life behind bars with a non-parole period of 33 years.
“The harsh prison conditions that you have experienced already, and the likely prospect of solitary confinement for the foreseeable future are important and weighty considerations, which should count for something in the sentencing exercise,” Justice Beale said.
“Because of the nature of your crimes and your notoriety, you have been assessed as being at significant risk from other prisoners.
“You have spent approximately 16 months of your 22 months at Dame Phyllis Frost Centre in a management unit called the Gordon unit and the rest of the time in a protection unit called the Murray unit. A management unit is more restrictive than a protection unit.”
Justice Beale said Patterson was not allowed to mix with the other prisoners despite there being 20 cells in the unit.
“You have spent at least 22 hours in your cell every day that you have been in the Gordon unit. There have been 16 days since November 2024 where because of lockdowns you have been confined for the entire 24 hours per day.
“The maximum time that a prisoner in the Gordon unit can have out of their cell in any given day is four hours but ‘that wouldn’t happen very often’.
“Your meals and medicine are currently delivered through a flap in your cell door.
“There is a small concrete yard, approximately 2m by 1.5m which adjoins yourself with permission, you may access for fresh air.”
Justice Beale said Patterson’s only chance to communicate was with another prisoner - who is locked up for terrorism.
“During your time in the Gordon unit, you have barely had any contact with other individuals,” he told the court.
“Permission is required for you to communicate with any other prisoner which, according to your counsel, is complicated by the fact that you are not informed of the identities of the other prisoners in the Gordon unit.
“You currently have approval to communicate with one other prisoner in the Gordon unit through a wire mesh when the two of you are ... undergoing a lengthy sentence for terrorism offences and has attacked other prisoners.
“You did not ask to communicate with that person and have not communicated with her. The suggestion you should communicate with her was made by a corrections officer.
“There is an intercom in your cell which you may use to communicate with one other prisoner in the unit at a time but you have not done so.”
“Given the unprecedented media coverage of your case and the books, documentaries and TV series you which are all in the pipeline, you are likely to remain a notorious prisoner for many years to come, and as such, remain at significant risk from other prisoners,” Justice Beale said.
Justice Beale is detailing Erin’s life at the Dame Phyllis Frost Centre.
He said Erin has spent 16 months in a management unit called the Gordon Unit, and the rest of the time in a protection unit called the Murray Unit.
“The Gordon unit has about 20 cells. You are not permitted to mix with the other women in the Gordon Unit. You have spent at least 22 hours in your cell every day that you have been in the Gordon Unit,” Justice Beale said.
“Your meals and medicine are currently delivered through a flap in your cell door. There is a small concrete yard approximately two metres by 1.5m which adjoins your cell, which with permission, you may access for fresh air.
“If prisoners are using the larger exercise yard which abuts your exercise yard, you may not use your small yard.
“Permission is required for you to communicate with any other prisoner.”
