Mushroom killer Erin Patterson jailed for life with parole
Mushroom murderer Erin Patterson has been sentenced to life behind bars but she will be eligible for parole after 33 years.
Patterson, 50, looked straight ahead as Victorian Supreme Court Justice Christopher Beale handed down the sentence this morning.
There was silence in the courtroom as Patterson learnt her fate for killing three lunch guests with a death cap mushroom-laced dish.
LIVE UPDATES: Mushroom killer Erin Patterson's plea for mercy as sentencing looms
She sat in court with her eyes closed for most of the sentencing as Justice Beale set out how she committed the crimes.
A jury found Patterson deliberately served beef Wellingtons that featured the deadly mushrooms to four lunch guests in July 2023.
Her former in-laws Don and Gail Patterson, 70, and Gail's sister Heather Wilkinson, 66, all died after consuming the meal, while Heather's husband Ian was left seriously ill but survived.
READ MORE: Sussan Ley in 'damage control' after Jacinta Nampijinpa Price comment
Patterson claimed it was all a terrible accident but the jury in July found her guilty of three counts of murder and one count of attempted murder.
At a pre-sentence hearing in August, Patterson's barrister Colin Mandy SC urged Justice Beale to impose a non-parole period, citing her "deprived" conditions in custody.
Crown prosecutor Jane Warren argued Patterson's crime was so cruel and horrific that she was not deserving of mercy and instead should be sentenced to life without parole.
DOWNLOAD THE 9NEWS APP: Stay across all the latest in breaking news, sport, politics and the weather via our news app and get notifications sent straight to your smartphone. Available on the Apple App Store and Google Play.