Australian woman who killed 3 with toxic mushrooms sentenced to life in prison

An Australian justice connected Monday sentenced Erin Patterson to beingness successful situation for sidesplitting 3 radical with toxic mushrooms, pursuing a weekslong proceedings that gripped the country.

Patterson was convicted successful July of triple murder for serving a poisonous repast to her estranged husband's parents, aunt and uncle during a sumptuous beef Wellington luncheon astatine her location successful 2023. She volition beryllium eligible for parole aft 33 years.

Three of Patterson's 4 luncheon guests — her parents-in-law, Don and Gail Patterson, and Gail's sister, Heather Wilkinson — died successful the infirmary aft the 2023 repast astatine her location successful Leongatha, astatine which she served idiosyncratic beef Wellington pastries containing decease headdress mushrooms.

She was besides recovered blameworthy of attempting to execution Ian Wilkinson, Heather's husband, who survived the meal.

Patterson's estranged husband, Simon Patterson, was invited but did not be the July 2023 lunch.

"Your victims were each your relatives by marriage. More than that, they had each been bully to you and your children implicit galore years, arsenic you acknowledged successful your testimony," Beale said.

"Not lone did you chopped abbreviated 3 lives and origin lasting harm to Ian Wilkinson's health, thereby devastating extended Patterson and Wilkinson families, you inflicted untold suffering connected your ain children, whom you robbed of their beloved grandparents," helium added.

It wasn't disputed that Patterson served the mushrooms oregon that the pastries killed her guests. The assemblage was required to determine whether she knew the luncheon contained decease caps, and if she intended for them to die.

Both prosecution and defence lawyers had agreed that a beingness condemnation was an due punishment for the then-50-year-old connected 3 counts of execution and 1 of attempted murder.

But defence lawyers had asked for Patterson to go eligible for parole aft serving 30 years. Prosecutors had argued she should ne'er beryllium considered for parole due to the fact that she did not merit the court's mercy.

Patterson volition person 28 days to lodge an entreaty against the sentence, the convictions, oregon both.

• Australia