Victoria’s Court of Appeal Removes Erin Patterson’s Parole Eligibility

Victoria’s Court of Appeal has rejected Erin Patterson’s challenge to her convictions and increased her sentence to life imprisonment without parole. The Melbourne court upheld prosecutors’ sentence appeal on October 30, removing the 33-year non-parole period imposed after her trial. Judges Stephen McLeish, Lesley Taylor and Peter Kidd described the offending as “extraordinarily cold and calculated.” McLeish said the killings were carefully planned and deliberate, with Patterson’s intention to kill continuing for nearly three weeks between inviting her guests and preparing and serving the meal. The convictions concern the murders of Don Patterson, Gail Patterson and Heather Wilkinson, and the attempted murder of Ian Wilkinson, who survived. Patterson’s defence had challenged the convictions on grounds that included jurors staying at the same hotel as police and prosecution personnel. The appeal judges found no reason to believe that a miscarriage of justice had occurred. Her six other grounds also failed, including objections to evidence rulings and prosecution conduct. The court rejected criticism of prosecutor Nanette Rogers SC’s cross-examination, finding that she had performed her obligations fairly. The case arose from a lunch Patterson served in 2023, when her guests ate death-cap mushrooms baked into beef Wellingtons. Her jury trial ran from April to July 2025, and Justice Christopher Beale sentenced her on September 8, 2025. It remains unclear whether her lawyers will seek to challenge the appellate decision in the High Court.