An Australian woman has been jailed for life, with no chance of release for at least 33 years, for murdering three relatives and attempting to kill another with a toxic mushroom meal.
The jail term, one of the longest ever handed to a female offender in Australia, means Erin Patterson, 50, will be in her 80s before she can apply for parole.
A Supreme Court judge stated that Patterson's crimes were the 'worst category' for offending and involved an 'elaborate cover-up'.
Patterson killed her in-laws Don and Gail Patterson, both 70, and Gail's sister Heather Wilkinson, 66, after serving them a toxic beef Wellington at her home in Victoria in 2023.
Heather's husband, Ian Wilkinson, a local pastor, survived the lunch after recovering from a coma and now faces ongoing health issues related to the poisoning.
Patterson's estranged husband, Simon Patterson, was meant to attend the lunch but cancelled last minute, fearing that she had tried to poison him in the past.
Patterson has maintained her innocence, claiming the poisonous death cap mushrooms were added accidentally, and she never intended to harm her relatives.
Justice Christopher Beale emphasized the severity of Patterson's actions, stating she showed no remorse even as her victims were hospitalized.
Outside court, Ian Wilkinson expressed gratitude towards the police and medical personnel who aided in the aftermath of the incident, urging kindness in a world where the tragedy tore his family apart.
Patterson's case received unprecedented media attention, with the court allowing its proceedings to be broadcast live for the first time in its history. Patterson has 28 days to appeal her sentence and the guilty verdicts for triple murder and one count of attempted murder.
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