The ‘elaborate’ cover-up after the beef Wellington lunch and the single word that might have changed everything

In the final moments of Erin Patterson’s plea hearing, prosecutor Jane Warren asked Justice Christopher Beale to sentence the convicted killer to life in prison without the possibility of parole.

“It is a crime that is so cruel and so horrific that in our submission the offender is not deserving of this court’s mercy,” Warren said, confirming that the prosecution is seeking the most severe penalty.

Warren argued that Patterson’s actions were defined by an extended and relentless intention to kill.

Justice Beale acknowledged the devastating impact on the victims, saying he had read 28 victim impact statements, which showed how the crime affected four generations of the Patterson and Wilkinson families.

“The word ripple effect is often mentioned,” Beale said. “More like a tsunami than a ripple.”

He also agreed that Patterson’s offending was “horrendous.”

Beale then expressed “heightened” concerns about Patterson’s conditions in custody. For 14 months, she has spent up to 22 hours a day alone in a cell—a situation he called “not very humane”.

He noted this was a significant consideration, especially since her notoriety means her harsh conditions are unlikely to change.

Throughout the hearing, prosecutor Jane Warren has argued that one of the most significant aggravating factors of Erin Patterson’s crimes was the extended period she maintained her intention to kill her lunch guests.

While the trio lay dying in the hospital, Warren said Patterson failed to provide medical staff with information that could have altered the course of their treatment.

“In the course of the days that follow the lunch she is aware that they’ve been hospitalised, that they are incredibly unwell,” Warren said.

Even the mention of the word “wild” in relation to the mushrooms she used would have dramatically altered the course of treatment for the lunch guests.

She added that Patterson’s actions were followed by an “elaborate” cover-up, which was “indicative of a complete absence of regret or remorse and complete indifference”.

Throughout the intense discussion in the afternoon of her plea hearing, Erin Patterson is sitting quietly, closing her eyes for long periods of time — behaviour she also exhibited during her trial.

Prosecutor Jane Warren told the court that Erin Patterson’s plan to kill was premeditated, with an intent formed ahead of the lunch.

Warren argued that on April 28, 2023, Patterson travelled to the Loch area, a known spot for death cap mushrooms, and within hours, she purchased a food dehydrator. Photos later found on her tablet showed mushrooms on the dehydrator’s trays.

Justice Christopher Beale and Warren then discussed the lunch invitations, noting that by the time Patterson learned her estranged husband, Simon, wouldn’t be attending, she had already bought enough ingredients to make five poisoned beef Wellingtons.

Courtroom artist Anita Lester’s sketches offer an unvarnished glimpse of Erin Patterson, the woman found guilty of hosting a deadly mushroom lunch, as she awaits her fate in court.

With no prior criminal history, Erin Patterson is now facing sentencing as a “serious offender”, according to prosecutor Jane Warren.

Warren told the court that Patterson’s crimes fall into the “worst category,” citing four aggravating features.

Central to the prosecution’s argument is the level of planning involved.

“It’s the level of premeditation that is important here and is so egregious in respect of this case,” Warren said, underscoring the deliberate nature of Patterson’s actions.

Colin Mandy and Justice Christopher Beale are now discussing premeditation. This includes when Patterson first formed the intention to carry out her poison plot.

“There can be no argument that the acts were deliberate and that the intention was to kill,” Mandy said.

He said the defence accepted that on the morning of the lunch, as she prepared the meal, Patterson had formed the intention to harm her guests.

But Beale has asked how he should consider the earlier invitation by Patterson, on July 16 at the church service, for the Pattersons and Wilkinsons to attend lunch at her house.

Mandy is arguing the prosecution contended his client, right until the day of the lunch, may have, in fact, been intending to harm her estranged husband, Simon.

Beale said he placed a lot of store in the evidence of lunch survivor Ian Wilkinson, in particular about the different coloured plates the meals were served on.

Mandy accepted that his client’s behaviour after lunch was an aggravating factor in her offending. That included her lies about being unwell and disposal of the dehydrator.

Appearing emotionless and blinking often, Erin Patterson stares at the court as her pre-sentence hearing moves into the late afternoon.

Colin Mandy, SC, is now focusing on her mental health. He told the court that Patterson has been described by herself and others as having anxiety, high-functioning autism, and “Asperger’s syndrome”, all of which make her life in custody more challenging.

“She does find it difficult because of that condition because she finds it difficult to cope with changes in routine,” Mandy said.

Throughout the afternoon session, Patterson has remained unmoved, staring ahead at the front of the court as her barrister speaks.

Erin Patterson’s lawyer, Colin Mandy, SC, has conceded that his client deserves a life sentence for her crimes. However, the legal battle now centres on a key question: what, if any, non-parole period she should receive.

“This is very grave offending and we make no argument that the head sentence should be anything other than life in imprisonment,” Mandy said.

He said that even with a 30-year non-parole period, Patterson would be 80 years old before she could ever be considered for release.

Mandy also argued that the harsh conditions Patterson has faced in custody — including long periods of isolation — must be a factor in her sentencing.

He said that the burden of imprisonment would be “much greater” on Patterson due to her ongoing safety concerns and isolation.