Victorian Court of Appeal to rule on Erin Patterson murder convictions

The Victorian Court of Appeal is scheduled to hand down its decision at 10 a.m. AEDT on Friday regarding the convictions and sentence of Erin Patterson, who was found guilty in 2025 of murdering three relatives and attempting to murder a fourth after serving a beef Wellington laced with death‑cap mushrooms at her Leongatha home in July 2023.

Patterson, 52, has maintained her innocence and appealed on the grounds that there were irregularities in the jury sequestration process, errors by the trial judge, and what she described as an unfair cross‑examination by prosecutors. The appeal seeks to overturn both the convictions and the life sentence that includes a non‑parole period of 33 years.

If the appeal is successful, the Court of Appeal could order a retrial or acquit Patterson entirely. A loss would leave her with limited legal avenues, as the conviction would remain in place and the life sentence would continue to apply.

Separately, Victoria’s Director of Public Prosecutions, Brendan Kissane KC, is pursuing a Crown appeal against the sentence, arguing that the 33‑year non‑parole period is "manifestly inadequate" given the seriousness of the offences. The Crown’s appeal could result in a longer non‑parole term or a different sentencing structure.

The case has attracted extensive media coverage since the poisoning incident, which resulted in the deaths of Don and Gail Patterson and Heather Wilkinson, while Ian Wilkinson survived after weeks of hospitalization.