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Voice: Lunch survivor Ian Wilkinson addresses media as he leaves the Supreme Court on Monday.
Photograph: Liam Durkin
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Trial: Erin Patterson was seen in handcuffs when escorted on August 25, 2025 for her pre-sentence hearing.
Erin Patterson will spend the next 33 years behind bars. The triple murderer, who’s trial was held in Morwell, learnt her fate in Melbourne’s Supreme Court on Monday.
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Patterson sentenced By LIAM DURKIN
MUSHROOM murderer Erin Patterson will spend at least the next 33 years behind bars. Ms Patterson was sentenced to life imprisonment with a non-parole period of 33 years in Melbourne’s Supreme Court on Monday for three counts of murder and one of attempted murder. Justice Christopher Beale handed Ms Patterson three concurrent sentences of life imprisonment for the murders of Don and Gail Patterson and Heather Wilkinson, and 25 years for the attempted murder of Korumburra pastor, Ian Wilkinson. Justice Beale agreed with the jury’s guilty verdict, which found Ms Patterson deliberately poisoned the quartet by serving them beef wellingtons laced with death cap mushrooms in July 2023. The jury reached its verdict in Morwell’s Latrobe Valley law courts where the marathon trial was held, thrusting the local town into the global spotlight. Ms Patterson entered the Supreme Court wearing a brown jacket with the collar turned up at 9.27am last Monday, and learnt her fate just under an hour later. Her defence conceded at the plea hearing that her offending deserved a life sentence. The prosecution saught life without parole. Ultimately, Justice Beale decided on 33 years without parole, noting the “standard sentence” for murder was life imprisonment, and 25 years for attempted murder. In his sentencing remarks, Justice Beale said Ms Patterson committed a crime of the highest order. “Clearly, the jury was satisfied beyond reasonable doubt that you committed the alleged offences,” His Honour said. “Your crimes have harmed a great many people. Your offending falls into the worst category.” Justice Beale also agreed with Mr Wilkinson’s evidence that Ms Patterson had served the deadly beef wellingtons on different-styled plates than her own, noting the “substantial premeditation” that went into preparing the lunch at her Leongatha home, which her estranged husband, Simon declined an invitation to attend. Continued page 6