A Baptist pastor who was the sole survivor of mushroom poisonings which rocked Australia said he’s “grateful” that truth has been “brought to light”.
Erin Patterson, 33, has been jailed for life, after murdering three of her in-laws via poisoning in 2023.
Ian Wilkinson was the uncle of Erin’s estranged husband, Simon Patterson. He was the only survivor of the beef wellington meal which killed his wife, Heather, her sister Gail Patterson (Erin’s mother-in-law), and Don Patterson (Erin’s father-in-law). All victims were members of Korumburra Baptist Church.
Simon had also been invited to the meal, but cancelled his attendance the day before. Left out of court evidence was his long-standing suspicion that Erin, whom he was never officially divorced from, had been trying to poison him for some years.
Delivering the sentence, Justice Beale told Erin: "Not only did you cut short three lives and cause lasting damage to Ian Wilkinson's health… you inflicted untold suffering on your own children, whom you robbed of their beloved grandparents."
Erin was handed a life sentence for three counts of murder and one of attempted murder, but will be eligible for release in 2056, when she is 82 years old.
Ian Wilkinson resumed taking services at his church in July.