Erin Patterson Sentenced to Life Imprisonment With 33-Year Non-Parole Period

Melbourne, September 8, 2025 — Erin Patterson, a 50-year-old woman from Leongatha, Victoria, has been sentenced to life in prison with a 33-year non-parole period after being found guilty of poisoning three of her family members to death. This story has captured the attention of Australia and the world.

The Crime

Patterson had lunch with her separated husband’s parents, Don and Gail Patterson, and his aunt and uncle, Heather and Ian Wilkinson, on July 29, 2023. She presented individual Beef Wellington servings with death cap mushrooms (Amanita phalloides), which are known to be quite poisonous.

Within a few hours, all four guests became very sick. Gail and Heather died within days, and Don died not long after that. Ian Wilkinson lived, but he had to stay in the hospital for a long time and still has health problems.

The Trial and the Decision

In July 2025, after an 11-week trial in the Supreme Court of Victoria, a jury found Patterson guilty of three murders and one attempted murder for Ian.

Details Of The Sentence

Justice Christopher Beale gave Patterson the following sentence:

• Three life sentences for the killings at the same time.
• A 25-year sentence for trying to kill Ian, to be served at the same time.
• A 33-year non-parole period means that Patterson can ask for parole in 2056, when he is 82 years old.

The defence said that her fame and extreme isolation before her imprisonment should be taken into account while deciding whether or not to grant parole. The prosecution, on the other hand, wanted a sentence with no parole. The judge found a middle ground by giving her the harshest possible punishment while yet recognising how bad her solitary confinement was.

This sentence is one of the longest prison terms ever given to a woman in Victoria.

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Heavy Judge Comments

Justice Beale called the act a “enormous betrayal of trust,” pointing out that Patterson had gone against family members who had been kind to her and her kids.

He talked about how she planned her actions: she served meals on separate plates to keep the poison from getting into her own body, lied to the police about where the mushrooms came from, and got rid of things that may have been used against her, like plates, a dehydrator, and her phone.

The judge also said that Patterson showed no remorse and called her actions “pitiless.”

Public Impact and Courtroom First

The sentencing hearing was broadcast live on TV for the first time ever in Victoria. This demonstrates the significant interest the case generated among the public.

Ian Wilkinson, the only person who lived, talked to the press with a lot of emotion, thanking the police and medical staff and forgiving them in a stunning show of compassion.

The Way Forward

Erin Patterson says she is innocent and that the poisonings were accidents. She has until October 6, 2025, or “28 days” in other accounts, to appeal the sentence or conviction.