Erin Patterson Faces Sentencing in Melbourne Court

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Melbourne, Victoria, Erin Patterson, 50, the Leongatha woman convicted of murdering three of her in-laws with a mushroom-laced meal, is set to face sentencing this week at the Victorian Supreme Court.

The hearing, in Court 4, will feature victim impact statements delivered by family members and read by the prosecution. Patterson’s legal team will present mitigating factors, while Justice Christopher Beale will determine both her head sentence and non-parole period.

Following the court proceedings, Patterson will return to Melbourne’s maximum-security Dame Phyllis Frost Centre, where she shares a unit with some of Victoria’s most high-profile female offenders. Daily routines are highly regulated, with inmates locked down for minor infractions and required to complete work duties up to 60 hours every two weeks until the age of 65.

A former inmate described Patterson as having difficulty adjusting to prison life. “She never thought she was going to be convicted. She is not going to cope doing 30 years,” the source said. Reports indicate she spends time on hobbies like crocheting and maintains limited social engagement with other prisoners.

In July 2024, Patterson was briefly moved to solitary confinement following concerns about materials in her cell. A justice department spokesperson confirmed no evidence was found to support claims of contaminated food or suspected poisonings.

The sentencing will also consider the background of the crime. On July 30, 2023, a family lunch in Leongatha resulted in the deaths of Don and Gail Patterson and Gail’s sister, Heather Wilkinson. Patterson’s estranged husband, Simon, who did not attend the gathering, was cited as a point of personal tension at the time.

Patterson’s two-day plea hearing is being held in Melbourne, rather than the Latrobe Valley court in Morwell, where her 11-week trial took place. The case has attracted significant media attention across Australia, highlighting the serious nature of her crimes and the court’s detailed consideration of sentencing.

The upcoming ruling will determine Patterson’s long-term placement within Victoria’s secure correctional system and represents the final chapter in a case that has captured national attention.