Legal experts anticipate a life sentence for Erin Patterson, who was found guilty of murdering three relatives and attempting to murder a fourth by lacing a beef wellington lunch with poisonous mushrooms. The jury delivered the verdict swiftly at the Morwell court on Monday, convicting Patterson of murdering Don and Gail Patterson and Heather Wilkinson, and attempting to murder Ian Wilkinson.
The sentencing process will now commence, with the court likely to reconvene within the next month. Emeritus Professor Rick Sarre from the University of South Australia explained that the judge will ask for sentencing submissions, and the defence may request a pre-sentence report, which could include a psychological evaluation and analysis of mitigating factors such as background, criminal history, and rehabilitation prospects.
In Victoria, the maximum penalty for murder is life imprisonment. Sarre expects Patterson to receive a life sentence, with a non-parole period likely between 30 and 37 years, given the multiple murders. Patterson is 50 years old, meaning she could be incarcerated into her 80s. Australian courts generally avoid 'crushing sentences' that destroy any reasonable expectation of life after release.
Following sentencing, Patterson's legal team will have 28 days to decide whether to appeal. They can appeal against the sentence or the verdict. Possible grounds for appeal include errors in the judge's summing up to the jury or arguing that no properly instructed jury could have reached that verdict, as was successfully used in the George Pell case.
