Court rejects Erin Patterson’s conviction appeal

Victoria’s Court of Appeal has rejected Erin Patterson’s challenge to her convictions for three murders and attempted murder, and granted prosecutors’ appeal against her sentence, setting aside her 33-year non-parole period. The ruling leaves Patterson serving life imprisonment without a fixed date when she can first be considered for parole. The appeals arose from a 2023 lunch at Patterson’s home in Leongatha, where Don Patterson, Gail Patterson and Heather Wilkinson died after eating a meal containing death cap mushrooms. A jury also found Patterson guilty of attempting to murder Heather Wilkinson’s husband, Ian, who survived. Patterson’s lawyers argued that problems in the trial undermined its fairness. Among their claims was that jurors were housed at the same hotel as members of the prosecution team and police during the trial. They also challenged the prosecution’s cross-examination and the handling of evidence, including material relating to mobile phone records and images of mushrooms. Prosecutors disputed the defence arguments, saying there was no evidence of improper communication involving jurors. They argued that the convictions should stand and that Patterson’s...