1 00:00:00,160 --> 00:00:03,200 S1: Hi, it's Samantha Selinger Morris here, and I am the 2 00:00:03,200 --> 00:00:06,240 S1: host of the Morning Edition. We're bringing you the best 3 00:00:06,240 --> 00:00:12,360 S1: episodes of 2025 before your Morning Edition team returns mid January. Well, 4 00:00:12,360 --> 00:00:15,760 S1: the Mushroom Murders was the criminal case of the year. 5 00:00:16,000 --> 00:00:18,760 S1: And in this episode, we take you inside the court. 6 00:00:18,800 --> 00:00:22,880 S1: On the day Aaron Patterson was sentenced to life imprisonment. 7 00:00:23,920 --> 00:00:27,840 S1: Patterson received a triple murder conviction over the now infamous 8 00:00:27,840 --> 00:00:31,840 S1: lunch of beef Wellington that she laced with deathcap mushrooms 9 00:00:32,000 --> 00:00:36,000 S1: and served to her in-laws. Since this episode was recorded 10 00:00:36,000 --> 00:00:39,600 S1: with court reporter Erin Pierson, Patterson has applied for leave 11 00:00:39,640 --> 00:00:42,879 S1: to appeal her convictions, which is yet to be decided. 12 00:00:43,320 --> 00:00:47,519 S1: But this episode addresses the big question after the sentencing, 13 00:00:47,840 --> 00:00:52,960 S1: which was why she was granted the opportunity of parole. Now, Erin, 14 00:00:52,960 --> 00:00:55,080 S1: you were there in the Supreme Court of Victoria on 15 00:00:55,080 --> 00:00:58,360 S1: Monday morning when Aaron Patterson was sentenced. So tell us, 16 00:00:58,360 --> 00:01:00,220 S1: how long is she going to be spending in prison. 17 00:01:00,220 --> 00:01:01,900 S1: And what was the mood in the courtroom like? 18 00:01:02,220 --> 00:01:07,220 S2: She was given a life sentence by Judge Justice Christopher Beale, 19 00:01:07,340 --> 00:01:09,340 S2: but he also did show her a little bit of 20 00:01:09,340 --> 00:01:12,899 S2: mercy by offering her a non-parole period of 33 years. 21 00:01:13,700 --> 00:01:17,979 S3: Your total effective sentence will be life imprisonment, and the 22 00:01:17,980 --> 00:01:21,860 S3: period during which you will be ineligible for parole will 23 00:01:21,860 --> 00:01:25,420 S3: be a very substantial one. Please stand. 24 00:01:25,620 --> 00:01:28,860 S2: So. By all calculations, it looks like she wouldn't be 25 00:01:28,860 --> 00:01:33,020 S2: eligible for release from presidential. She's about 82 years old. 26 00:01:33,300 --> 00:01:36,340 S3: For the attempted murder of Ian Wilkinson. I sentence you 27 00:01:36,340 --> 00:01:41,420 S3: to 25 years imprisonment for the murder of Heather Wilkinson. 28 00:01:41,420 --> 00:01:44,980 S3: I sentence you to life imprisonment for the murder of 29 00:01:45,020 --> 00:01:49,660 S3: Gail Patterson. I sentence you to life imprisonment for the 30 00:01:49,660 --> 00:01:53,540 S3: murder of Don Patterson. I sentence you to life imprisonment. 31 00:01:54,260 --> 00:01:59,360 S3: All sentences are to be served concurrently. The total effective 32 00:01:59,360 --> 00:02:04,240 S3: sentence is life imprisonment, and I fix a non-parole period 33 00:02:05,080 --> 00:02:06,480 S3: of 33 years. 34 00:02:07,320 --> 00:02:09,200 S1: And was that surprising to you at all? But I 35 00:02:09,200 --> 00:02:11,040 S1: guess he gave her that mercy, because we know that 36 00:02:11,040 --> 00:02:13,280 S1: the prosecutor, Jane Warren, had said that this was a 37 00:02:13,280 --> 00:02:17,040 S1: case so cold, so horrific. Our submission is the offender 38 00:02:17,040 --> 00:02:19,160 S1: is not deserving of mercy. So they were arguing that 39 00:02:19,160 --> 00:02:22,120 S1: she should not get any parole. Now, we should state, 40 00:02:22,160 --> 00:02:24,200 S1: you know, her parole isn't for 33 years and that's 41 00:02:24,200 --> 00:02:26,200 S1: not guaranteed. Right. She would have to apply for. That's correct. 42 00:02:26,240 --> 00:02:28,040 S1: She very well might live the rest of her life 43 00:02:28,040 --> 00:02:29,960 S1: in prison. But were you surprised that he even offered 44 00:02:29,960 --> 00:02:31,079 S1: her the chance of parole? 45 00:02:31,440 --> 00:02:34,360 S2: I wasn't actually. This is a woman who. Yes. She's 46 00:02:34,360 --> 00:02:37,480 S2: killed three people and attempted to murder a fourth. But 47 00:02:37,480 --> 00:02:40,640 S2: she had no prior convictions. She had no sort of 48 00:02:40,680 --> 00:02:45,120 S2: prior interactions, really, with the justice system. Um, and so 49 00:02:45,320 --> 00:02:48,240 S2: going into it looking, you know, from that side of things, 50 00:02:48,240 --> 00:02:52,320 S2: it does make sense that somebody is offered a parole period. Um, 51 00:02:52,360 --> 00:02:55,359 S2: the reason why, um, the judge said that the main 52 00:02:55,360 --> 00:02:58,780 S2: reason why he really decided that, that it was appropriate 53 00:02:58,780 --> 00:03:00,820 S2: in this particular case was because of what he said 54 00:03:00,820 --> 00:03:04,980 S2: was the really arduous circumstances that she currently has in custody. 55 00:03:05,460 --> 00:03:10,299 S3: You have a, quote, maximum security rating and, quote, major 56 00:03:10,300 --> 00:03:14,780 S3: offender status because of the nature of your crimes and 57 00:03:14,780 --> 00:03:19,580 S3: your notoriety. You have been assessed as being at significant 58 00:03:19,580 --> 00:03:21,260 S3: risk from other prisoners. 59 00:03:21,740 --> 00:03:26,060 S2: We know that she's housed in a really high security 60 00:03:26,100 --> 00:03:28,700 S2: part of the women's prison that she's in, and she's 61 00:03:28,700 --> 00:03:33,620 S2: also largely been in solitary confinement for the last 15 months. 62 00:03:33,900 --> 00:03:36,820 S3: You have spent at least 22 hours in your cell 63 00:03:36,820 --> 00:03:39,860 S3: every day that you have been in the Gordon Unit. 64 00:03:40,300 --> 00:03:41,820 S2: She was in and out into a bit of a 65 00:03:41,820 --> 00:03:44,740 S2: different management unit when she was first arrested, but she's 66 00:03:44,740 --> 00:03:47,020 S2: pretty much been in solitary confinement now for such a 67 00:03:47,020 --> 00:03:47,700 S2: long time. 68 00:03:47,740 --> 00:03:50,940 S3: Your meals and medicine are currently delivered through a flap 69 00:03:50,940 --> 00:03:55,820 S3: in your cell door. There is a small concrete yard 70 00:03:55,980 --> 00:04:00,840 S3: approximately two metres by 1.5m, which adjoins your cell, which, 71 00:04:00,880 --> 00:04:06,000 S3: with permission, you may access for fresh air. If prisoners 72 00:04:06,000 --> 00:04:10,720 S3: are using the larger exercise yard which abuts your exercise yard, 73 00:04:11,080 --> 00:04:16,760 S3: you may not use your small yard. During your time 74 00:04:16,760 --> 00:04:19,480 S3: in the Gordon Unit, you have barely had any contact 75 00:04:19,480 --> 00:04:21,080 S3: with other individuals. 76 00:04:21,080 --> 00:04:23,440 S2: And Christopher Beale said that because of all the media 77 00:04:23,440 --> 00:04:26,800 S2: reporting that's likely to continue, she's likely to continue to 78 00:04:26,839 --> 00:04:30,000 S2: be what's known as a notorious inmate and therefore need 79 00:04:30,040 --> 00:04:32,640 S2: to be housed in a protection unit. So he took 80 00:04:32,640 --> 00:04:35,799 S2: that into account in the reasons why he granted her parole. 81 00:04:36,480 --> 00:04:38,240 S1: And I'd love to hear from your perspective, what were 82 00:04:38,240 --> 00:04:41,159 S1: the most notable comments, I guess, that the justice made 83 00:04:41,160 --> 00:04:45,640 S1: during his sentencing remarks. I certainly heard him refer to her, quote, 84 00:04:45,680 --> 00:04:49,200 S1: pitiless behavior. So it sounded to me that he wasn't 85 00:04:49,200 --> 00:04:51,000 S1: pulling any punches. But what was it like for you 86 00:04:51,000 --> 00:04:52,040 S1: inside the courtroom? 87 00:04:52,360 --> 00:04:53,480 S4: Well, it was quite a bizarre. 88 00:04:53,480 --> 00:04:56,900 S2: Experience in the courtroom today for a number of different reasons. 89 00:04:56,900 --> 00:04:59,339 S2: One is, for the first time ever, the Supreme Court 90 00:04:59,339 --> 00:05:03,900 S2: allowed cameras, TV cameras in to film um, him the 91 00:05:03,940 --> 00:05:06,580 S2: judge while he was speaking. Now, the cameras weren't able 92 00:05:06,580 --> 00:05:09,780 S2: to film anything else. They were focused directly on, uh, 93 00:05:09,779 --> 00:05:13,700 S2: Christopher Beale. But it really changed the vibe in the courtroom. 94 00:05:13,700 --> 00:05:15,660 S2: It sort of felt like we were in America, as 95 00:05:15,660 --> 00:05:18,700 S2: we see with their justice system. So I guess initially 96 00:05:18,700 --> 00:05:21,580 S2: walking in the mood was a little bit different in 97 00:05:21,580 --> 00:05:23,860 S2: court four in the Supreme Court in Melbourne as well. 98 00:05:23,860 --> 00:05:27,740 S2: There's an overhead public gallery. So we had about 80 people, 99 00:05:27,740 --> 00:05:29,740 S2: I think, um, I'm not great at counting, but I 100 00:05:29,740 --> 00:05:33,060 S2: think it was about 80. People were shoulder to shoulder, um, 101 00:05:33,100 --> 00:05:36,460 S2: packed to the rafters upstairs. Um, many of them were 102 00:05:36,460 --> 00:05:39,339 S2: looking over the banisters, over the glass barrier, down into 103 00:05:39,339 --> 00:05:42,500 S2: the courtroom below to watch the proceedings, and they started 104 00:05:42,500 --> 00:05:45,260 S2: lining up from outside the court, um, at quite an 105 00:05:45,260 --> 00:05:49,180 S2: early hour. I mean, I arrived at court probably about 106 00:05:49,540 --> 00:05:52,580 S2: shortly before 8 a.m., and the line was almost from 107 00:05:52,580 --> 00:05:55,320 S2: the William Street entrance all the way down to Lonsdale Street. 108 00:05:55,360 --> 00:05:59,040 S2: Such is the public interest in this case. Once we 109 00:05:59,040 --> 00:06:02,120 S2: got into the courtroom, I guess the anticipation really was 110 00:06:02,120 --> 00:06:06,120 S2: there for Aaron Patterson's arrival. And when the tip staff 111 00:06:06,120 --> 00:06:08,480 S2: was was heard on his radio saying that you can 112 00:06:08,480 --> 00:06:12,039 S2: bring bring in in the prisoner. Um, everybody sort of 113 00:06:12,080 --> 00:06:14,760 S2: started to go quiet, all the chattering and, um, everything 114 00:06:14,760 --> 00:06:19,160 S2: that was going on, the liveliness of that courtroom really changed. Um, 115 00:06:19,200 --> 00:06:22,960 S2: people were looking over to the victims families who were seated, um, 116 00:06:23,000 --> 00:06:26,760 S2: on the far side of the room. And then in came, uh, 117 00:06:26,880 --> 00:06:28,000 S2: Aaron Patterson. 118 00:06:28,560 --> 00:06:30,440 S1: Well, tell me about that, because we know that for 119 00:06:30,440 --> 00:06:32,520 S1: some of the months that she spent in the courtroom, 120 00:06:32,520 --> 00:06:35,719 S1: she was often very, I guess, I don't want to 121 00:06:35,720 --> 00:06:39,040 S1: say non-responsive, but very, very muted in her behavior. So 122 00:06:39,040 --> 00:06:42,000 S1: what was her behavior like during the sentencing? And in 123 00:06:42,000 --> 00:06:44,440 S1: those moments when she was told what her fate was? 124 00:06:45,160 --> 00:06:46,240 S4: The layout of the. 125 00:06:46,240 --> 00:06:51,760 S2: Room really, I think impacted as well, um, perhaps her mood. 126 00:06:51,760 --> 00:06:54,420 S2: And she started off the first sort of ten minutes 127 00:06:54,420 --> 00:06:58,099 S2: or so of the sentencing, looking straight ahead at Christopher Beale, 128 00:06:58,140 --> 00:07:01,060 S2: as he was reading out his sentencing remarks. 129 00:07:01,100 --> 00:07:05,740 S3: The jury necessarily found that you deliberately served poison meals 130 00:07:05,980 --> 00:07:09,900 S3: to Gail and Don Patterson and Heather and Ian Wilkinson, 131 00:07:10,140 --> 00:07:13,739 S3: and that you did so intending to kill them. Only 132 00:07:13,780 --> 00:07:15,340 S3: Ian Wilkinson survived. 133 00:07:15,940 --> 00:07:16,660 S4: But after about. 134 00:07:16,660 --> 00:07:20,460 S2: Ten minutes, things really changed. She started to close her 135 00:07:20,460 --> 00:07:23,940 S2: eyes and her eyes. Then for the next, um, what 136 00:07:23,980 --> 00:07:27,500 S2: felt like almost an hour remained closed. I only noticed 137 00:07:27,500 --> 00:07:30,700 S2: her open them 2 or 3 times. At one point, 138 00:07:30,700 --> 00:07:34,860 S2: when the judge was mentioning, um, Ian Wilkinson's offer of forgiveness. 139 00:07:34,900 --> 00:07:38,820 S3: At your plea hearing, Ian Wilkinson memorably read his victim 140 00:07:38,820 --> 00:07:46,540 S3: impact statement to the court. Amongst other things, he humbly 141 00:07:46,540 --> 00:07:50,740 S3: expressed his great admiration and love for his wife Heather, 142 00:07:52,020 --> 00:07:58,400 S3: and his concern for others. Even you. He offered you 143 00:07:58,400 --> 00:08:00,080 S3: forgiveness for what you did to him. 144 00:08:00,640 --> 00:08:04,000 S2: And another one when he mentioned that she will remain 145 00:08:04,000 --> 00:08:07,960 S2: a notorious prisoner because of the media reporting. At that point, 146 00:08:07,960 --> 00:08:10,640 S2: she opened her eyes and she stared straight at the 147 00:08:10,640 --> 00:08:13,679 S2: media pack, including myself, who were sitting just across from her. 148 00:08:13,680 --> 00:08:16,120 S1: And I had read in one report that she glared 149 00:08:16,120 --> 00:08:18,600 S1: at people in the media, including yourself. Is that accurate? 150 00:08:18,920 --> 00:08:19,600 S4: Yeah, very. 151 00:08:19,600 --> 00:08:21,320 S2: Very much so. And it was the same look that 152 00:08:21,320 --> 00:08:24,080 S2: we got from Aaron Patterson during the trial, when we 153 00:08:24,080 --> 00:08:26,840 S2: would turn our heads many, many times during the day 154 00:08:26,840 --> 00:08:28,480 S2: to try and see her reaction, to try and get 155 00:08:28,480 --> 00:08:30,800 S2: a bit of an understanding, maybe what was going through 156 00:08:30,840 --> 00:08:33,760 S2: her mind, what she was or wasn't reacting to. We 157 00:08:33,800 --> 00:08:37,920 S2: get that same sort of scowl, that same sort of, um, cold, 158 00:08:37,920 --> 00:08:41,240 S2: snaky look from her. And that's exactly what we got 159 00:08:41,240 --> 00:08:47,439 S2: again today. There was absolutely no emotion shown. Um, no tears. Um, very, 160 00:08:47,440 --> 00:08:49,319 S2: very different than what we did see at the plea 161 00:08:49,360 --> 00:08:51,640 S2: hearing when she did appear to be distressed at one point, 162 00:08:51,780 --> 00:08:54,660 S2: But no. She really sat with her eyes closed, almost 163 00:08:54,660 --> 00:08:56,260 S2: in a bit of a. I felt it was a 164 00:08:56,260 --> 00:08:58,420 S2: bit rude to the judge to sit there with your 165 00:08:58,420 --> 00:09:01,700 S2: eyes closed while he was looking at her the whole time. 166 00:09:01,700 --> 00:09:04,020 S2: But yeah, it was only those little short moments that 167 00:09:04,020 --> 00:09:06,339 S2: we got a little bit of an insight into potentially 168 00:09:06,380 --> 00:09:08,660 S2: what was going through her mind today. 169 00:09:08,660 --> 00:09:11,620 S1: And then in stark contrast to her behavior, I think 170 00:09:11,620 --> 00:09:13,900 S1: it's fair to say that Ian Wilkinson, who was the 171 00:09:13,900 --> 00:09:16,660 S1: sole survivor of the poisoning, he, of course, was in 172 00:09:16,660 --> 00:09:19,500 S1: court and he was a lot more emotional. So tell 173 00:09:19,500 --> 00:09:22,460 S1: me about his demeanour. And I guess what he said, 174 00:09:22,500 --> 00:09:24,980 S1: you know, did it give us any more insight into 175 00:09:24,980 --> 00:09:27,500 S1: what we previously had about the impact of these crimes 176 00:09:27,500 --> 00:09:28,620 S1: on him and his family? 177 00:09:29,220 --> 00:09:29,740 S4: Now we know. 178 00:09:29,780 --> 00:09:31,980 S2: Ian Wilkinson is a pastor, and yes, he is the 179 00:09:31,980 --> 00:09:36,819 S2: one surviving lunch guest, but there's something quite powerful about 180 00:09:36,820 --> 00:09:40,260 S2: being in his presence. He is an incredibly stoic man. 181 00:09:40,260 --> 00:09:42,500 S2: This is a man who is still dealing with the 182 00:09:42,500 --> 00:09:46,500 S2: ongoing effects of a lunch that really nearly took his life, 183 00:09:46,700 --> 00:09:50,380 S2: and he sat, um, in court today with his arms folded, 184 00:09:50,480 --> 00:09:56,040 S2: staring straight ahead, incredibly composed, surrounded by his adult children 185 00:09:56,040 --> 00:09:59,720 S2: who he was there supporting and them supporting him. Right 186 00:09:59,720 --> 00:10:02,360 S2: nearby him as well. We also saw many, many members 187 00:10:02,360 --> 00:10:06,600 S2: of the Paterson family, um, seated nearby. Simon Paterson was 188 00:10:06,600 --> 00:10:09,360 S2: not there. And that was that was quite. Yeah, quite obvious, 189 00:10:09,360 --> 00:10:13,040 S2: I should say that that he was absent from today's hearing. But, um, 190 00:10:13,280 --> 00:10:16,559 S2: for the first time ever, we also saw Ian Wilkinson 191 00:10:16,559 --> 00:10:20,520 S2: address the press, um, after the sentence was handed down. 192 00:10:20,760 --> 00:10:26,200 S3: My purpose here today is to give some well earned thanks. 193 00:10:27,559 --> 00:10:34,200 S3: Firstly to Victoria Police, in particular the homicide squad and 194 00:10:34,200 --> 00:10:39,360 S3: the team led by Detective Stephen Epping Stool. They made 195 00:10:39,360 --> 00:10:45,679 S3: a professional, efficient and effective investigation into what happened at 196 00:10:45,679 --> 00:10:49,080 S3: the lunch. They brought to light the truth of what 197 00:10:49,080 --> 00:10:52,620 S3: happened with the death of three good people. 198 00:10:52,900 --> 00:10:55,219 S2: He bravely stood on the steps of the courthouse and 199 00:10:55,220 --> 00:10:58,260 S2: read out a statement. And that statement was very different 200 00:10:58,260 --> 00:11:01,700 S2: from what we heard in the courtroom, discussed about who 201 00:11:01,740 --> 00:11:05,140 S2: Aaron Patterson is as a person. Ian Wilkinson stood there 202 00:11:05,140 --> 00:11:08,620 S2: and spoke of kindness, and he thanked the members of 203 00:11:08,620 --> 00:11:11,700 S2: the homicide squad. He thanked the members, members of the OHP. 204 00:11:11,900 --> 00:11:14,460 S2: He thanked the members of his community, strangers who had 205 00:11:14,460 --> 00:11:18,100 S2: prayed for him and offered him support, and asked everybody 206 00:11:18,100 --> 00:11:20,260 S2: who was listening to his speech to go about their 207 00:11:20,260 --> 00:11:21,580 S2: lives with kindness. 208 00:11:21,820 --> 00:11:26,220 S3: We're thankful that when things go wrong, there are good 209 00:11:26,220 --> 00:11:31,700 S3: people and services and systems available to help us recover. 210 00:11:32,860 --> 00:11:36,540 S3: I'd like to encourage all those involved to keep turning 211 00:11:36,540 --> 00:11:41,900 S3: up and serving others. Our lives and the life of 212 00:11:41,900 --> 00:11:46,219 S3: our community depends on the kindness of others. I'd like 213 00:11:46,220 --> 00:11:50,480 S3: to encourage everybody to be kind to each other. 214 00:11:51,120 --> 00:11:54,600 S2: Then it was a really, really poignant moment where he 215 00:11:54,600 --> 00:11:58,120 S2: stood there with dozens and dozens, probably close to 100, 216 00:11:58,160 --> 00:12:01,640 S2: I reckon members of the press, cameras, microphones all in 217 00:12:01,640 --> 00:12:04,199 S2: his face on what must have been a really, really 218 00:12:04,200 --> 00:12:05,360 S2: difficult day for him. 219 00:12:06,240 --> 00:12:09,920 S3: That's all I wish to say for now. Please respect 220 00:12:09,920 --> 00:12:15,000 S3: our privacy as we continue to grieve and heal. Thank 221 00:12:15,000 --> 00:12:18,320 S3: you for listening. I hope you all have a great day. 222 00:12:19,640 --> 00:12:21,199 S3: Thank you. Thank you. Thank you. 223 00:12:22,280 --> 00:12:25,320 S1: It certainly was humbling. I mean, he was speaking of gratitude. Really. 224 00:12:25,320 --> 00:12:27,000 S1: I think there was such a focus on the gratitude 225 00:12:27,000 --> 00:12:28,920 S1: that he had, and I loved it when he said 226 00:12:29,160 --> 00:12:32,000 S1: the court processes are a little bewildering to lay people 227 00:12:32,000 --> 00:12:34,280 S1: like me, and we're grateful to their work and perseverance 228 00:12:34,280 --> 00:12:36,319 S1: that has secured this conviction. I know that moment really 229 00:12:36,320 --> 00:12:38,280 S1: stood out for me, but I wanted to take you 230 00:12:38,280 --> 00:12:43,280 S1: back to what he said about forgiveness within the courtroom, 231 00:12:43,280 --> 00:12:45,760 S1: and also just what he said of his late wife 232 00:12:45,760 --> 00:12:47,199 S1: of 44 years. 233 00:12:47,910 --> 00:12:49,710 S2: Yeah. So in the plea hearing that we had a 234 00:12:49,710 --> 00:12:53,590 S2: couple of weeks ago, he stood in front of Justice 235 00:12:53,590 --> 00:12:56,870 S2: Christopher Beale and read out one of the most powerful 236 00:12:56,870 --> 00:12:59,910 S2: and heartbreaking victim impact statements I think I've ever heard 237 00:12:59,910 --> 00:13:04,310 S2: anybody read out. Now, these are incredibly distressing at times. 238 00:13:04,309 --> 00:13:08,750 S2: Things to listen to. It's it's somebody's first opportunity often 239 00:13:08,750 --> 00:13:11,430 S2: to stand up and address the judge and explain just 240 00:13:11,429 --> 00:13:14,030 S2: what a crime has done to them. And we know 241 00:13:14,270 --> 00:13:16,910 S2: in Ian's situation it's quite unique. Not only did he 242 00:13:16,910 --> 00:13:20,429 S2: lose his wife and his wife's sister, but he almost, 243 00:13:20,550 --> 00:13:22,910 S2: you know, and his friend Don, he almost lost his 244 00:13:22,910 --> 00:13:26,510 S2: own life. So he spoke not only on behalf of 245 00:13:26,510 --> 00:13:29,990 S2: his experience, but he really paid homage to his his wife, Heather, 246 00:13:29,990 --> 00:13:33,510 S2: who they'd spent so many years together. He painted a 247 00:13:33,510 --> 00:13:36,910 S2: picture of just what she was like pottering around at 248 00:13:36,910 --> 00:13:39,790 S2: home and how they enjoyed gardening together, and how she 249 00:13:39,790 --> 00:13:44,790 S2: was really just that local volunteer who cared for everyone. And, um, yeah, 250 00:13:44,790 --> 00:13:47,650 S2: it was there wasn't a dry eye in that courtroom 251 00:13:47,650 --> 00:13:50,170 S2: on that day. That was something, I think, that will 252 00:13:50,170 --> 00:13:53,490 S2: stay with everybody who listened to that during that time. 253 00:13:53,490 --> 00:13:59,090 S2: And today he came back, though, um, very composed and, um, yeah, 254 00:13:59,130 --> 00:14:02,209 S2: you could sense he was there to seeking justice for 255 00:14:02,210 --> 00:14:04,690 S2: those that no longer have a voice. So yeah. When 256 00:14:04,690 --> 00:14:07,730 S2: when Christopher Beale was summing up his sentencing today and 257 00:14:07,730 --> 00:14:11,090 S2: the reasons why he's handed the sentence to Aaron Patterson 258 00:14:11,090 --> 00:14:13,090 S2: that he has, that was one of the reasons he 259 00:14:13,090 --> 00:14:15,370 S2: went and summed up those victim impact statements. He went 260 00:14:15,370 --> 00:14:18,370 S2: back to them and and pulled out some really powerful lines, 261 00:14:18,370 --> 00:14:20,850 S2: not only from Ian Wilkinson, but also from some of 262 00:14:20,850 --> 00:14:25,010 S2: the adult Patterson children and their experiences. Ruth Dubois, who's 263 00:14:25,010 --> 00:14:28,970 S2: who's Ian's daughter. She spoke in the most eloquent way 264 00:14:29,010 --> 00:14:31,770 S2: during the victim impact statements, and that was something that 265 00:14:31,770 --> 00:14:34,890 S2: was really noted by his honor as well. And she 266 00:14:34,890 --> 00:14:39,090 S2: also expressed, um, a lot of anger towards, um, her 267 00:14:39,090 --> 00:14:41,530 S2: mother's killer for what had gone on for this sort 268 00:14:41,530 --> 00:14:44,730 S2: of senseless tragedy that that really didn't need to happen. 269 00:14:44,730 --> 00:14:47,470 S2: And she Lastly, she really pointed out all the different 270 00:14:47,470 --> 00:14:50,590 S2: moments in the aftermath of the lunch. Um, when Aaron 271 00:14:50,590 --> 00:14:53,869 S2: Patterson could have changed, potentially the fate of her victims 272 00:14:53,870 --> 00:14:57,150 S2: and and told medical staff what had actually gone on 273 00:14:57,150 --> 00:14:59,230 S2: and what she had fed her lunch guests. 274 00:14:59,510 --> 00:15:01,110 S1: Well, that's what I wanted to ask you about, because 275 00:15:01,110 --> 00:15:03,510 S1: I know that, she said in her impact statement. There 276 00:15:03,510 --> 00:15:05,910 S1: were multiple times she could have stopped, could have canceled 277 00:15:05,910 --> 00:15:08,830 S1: the plans, helped medical staff change the outcome. Instead, at 278 00:15:08,830 --> 00:15:11,510 S1: every step of the way, she chose to follow through. 279 00:15:11,550 --> 00:15:14,310 S1: So was that one of the through lines in court 280 00:15:14,350 --> 00:15:18,350 S1: on Monday morning? Really the cruelty, like the excessive cruelty 281 00:15:18,630 --> 00:15:20,110 S1: of Aaron Patterson's actions? 282 00:15:20,310 --> 00:15:22,630 S2: Yeah, he's on a really focused on that as well. 283 00:15:22,670 --> 00:15:26,710 S2: He said that he believed that, um, Aaron Patterson's murderous 284 00:15:26,710 --> 00:15:27,990 S2: intent did continue. 285 00:15:28,030 --> 00:15:31,750 S5: After learning from Simon on Sunday, the 30th of July 23, 286 00:15:31,790 --> 00:15:35,070 S5: that some or all of your lunch guests had been hospitalized. 287 00:15:35,790 --> 00:15:40,150 S5: You showed no pity for your victims. Instead of informing 288 00:15:40,150 --> 00:15:43,390 S5: those treating the Patterson's and Wilkinsons that you had used 289 00:15:43,390 --> 00:15:47,650 S5: foraged Mushrooms, which you could have done without having to 290 00:15:47,650 --> 00:15:52,650 S5: admit that you had deliberately poisoned their meals. You repeatedly 291 00:15:52,650 --> 00:15:53,930 S5: denied foraging. 292 00:15:54,410 --> 00:15:56,930 S2: There was all these different, you know, potential times. We 293 00:15:56,930 --> 00:15:59,890 S2: don't know if they would have survived if they got 294 00:15:59,890 --> 00:16:04,130 S2: the antidote for deathcap mushroom, um, poisoning earlier. You can 295 00:16:04,130 --> 00:16:06,810 S2: never really predict what would have happened, but perhaps they 296 00:16:06,810 --> 00:16:10,610 S2: would have had that opportunity days earlier to access, um, 297 00:16:10,610 --> 00:16:12,130 S2: that particular antidote. 298 00:16:16,250 --> 00:16:19,490 S5: We will never know whether revealing the use of foraged 299 00:16:19,490 --> 00:16:23,690 S5: mushrooms would have made a difference. But the administration of 300 00:16:23,690 --> 00:16:28,490 S5: the drug silibinin, which is a specific antidote for deathcap 301 00:16:28,490 --> 00:16:31,930 S5: mushroom poisoning, was not commenced on the 30th of July 302 00:16:31,930 --> 00:16:35,410 S5: 23 because at that stage the evidence regarding the type 303 00:16:35,450 --> 00:16:37,210 S5: of toxin was inconclusive. 304 00:16:38,170 --> 00:16:40,210 S2: And yeah, so that was some of the moments that 305 00:16:40,210 --> 00:16:43,050 S2: his honour was really reflecting on as well. Um, those 306 00:16:43,050 --> 00:16:46,110 S2: different opportunities she had to potentially change what happened. 307 00:16:46,910 --> 00:16:50,790 S5: The prosecution submitted that you must have anticipated that your 308 00:16:50,790 --> 00:16:54,230 S5: victims would suffer in the way they did. I am 309 00:16:54,230 --> 00:16:56,310 S5: satisfied of that. Beyond reasonable doubt. 310 00:17:06,470 --> 00:17:07,390 S1: We'll be right back. 311 00:17:14,710 --> 00:17:17,950 S6: Hello to crime nuts and nuts. Just generally, we're back 312 00:17:17,950 --> 00:17:21,830 S6: with series seven of Naked City. I'd like to say 313 00:17:21,830 --> 00:17:24,710 S6: the delay was technical, but it's basically I'm bone lazy 314 00:17:24,950 --> 00:17:28,070 S6: forced now to do it. It's pretty good. We talk 315 00:17:28,109 --> 00:17:32,070 S6: about cold cases, hot cases and cases that were never solved. 316 00:17:32,590 --> 00:17:40,390 S6: Notorious crooks, brilliant detectives and baghouse reporters. Naked city out soon. 317 00:17:44,250 --> 00:17:46,450 S1: And I wanted to ask you about the other victims, 318 00:17:46,450 --> 00:17:49,050 S1: because I believe there was 28 victims who prepared victim 319 00:17:49,050 --> 00:17:52,330 S1: impact statements for the judge. So was there any other 320 00:17:52,330 --> 00:17:55,010 S1: ones that really stood out to you? And also, was 321 00:17:55,010 --> 00:17:57,610 S1: it a surprise that Simon Patterson wasn't there today? 322 00:17:58,410 --> 00:18:02,090 S2: Yeah. Look, he only attended court during the pre-trial. And 323 00:18:02,090 --> 00:18:04,730 S2: then the day that he gave evidence, it did feel 324 00:18:04,730 --> 00:18:08,770 S2: like a very important person was missing from that courtroom. Um, 325 00:18:08,810 --> 00:18:12,010 S2: this is somebody who's lost his parents. He's lost his aunt, 326 00:18:12,010 --> 00:18:14,810 S2: but he's also nearly lost his own life as well. 327 00:18:14,810 --> 00:18:17,889 S7: Much of the evidence the prosecution wanted to use against 328 00:18:17,890 --> 00:18:22,530 S7: Patterson has remained buried in silence until now. The Supreme 329 00:18:22,530 --> 00:18:26,650 S7: Court unsealing a trove of secrets the jury never heard. 330 00:18:26,850 --> 00:18:30,530 S7: Starting with allegations that she tried to kill her estranged 331 00:18:30,530 --> 00:18:34,490 S7: husband at least three times in the two years leading 332 00:18:34,490 --> 00:18:36,170 S7: up to the mushroom launch. 333 00:18:36,330 --> 00:18:39,050 S2: We know now, while Aaron Patterson is no longer being 334 00:18:39,050 --> 00:18:44,070 S2: charged or prosecuted for these particular allegations. There were allegations 335 00:18:44,070 --> 00:18:45,950 S2: made that she tried to kill him for a number 336 00:18:45,950 --> 00:18:47,989 S2: of years in the lead up to the lunch, so 337 00:18:47,990 --> 00:18:50,510 S2: he seems to be a pretty significant figure in all 338 00:18:50,550 --> 00:18:54,230 S2: of this horror and and all of this tragedy. But yes, 339 00:18:54,230 --> 00:18:56,670 S2: we heard a number of victim impact statements read out 340 00:18:56,670 --> 00:19:00,030 S2: from members of the Patterson and Wilkinson families, but a 341 00:19:00,030 --> 00:19:02,429 S2: vast majority of them were handed up for the judge 342 00:19:02,430 --> 00:19:05,629 S2: to read in private. And there was others that spoke. 343 00:19:05,630 --> 00:19:09,230 S2: Just of all the questions that the unanswered questions that remain. 344 00:19:09,270 --> 00:19:12,950 S2: We don't know what the motive was. Um, His Honor 345 00:19:12,950 --> 00:19:16,070 S2: today noted that the prosecution were unable to lay out 346 00:19:16,070 --> 00:19:18,670 S2: what motive would be. But essentially, we don't need one 347 00:19:18,670 --> 00:19:23,109 S2: to prove murder in the state of Victoria. So unanswered questions, um, 348 00:19:23,150 --> 00:19:27,109 S2: forgiveness and confusion really seem to be some of the, the, the, 349 00:19:27,109 --> 00:19:29,469 S2: the elements that came out in those victim impact statements 350 00:19:29,470 --> 00:19:30,430 S2: at the plea hearing. 351 00:19:31,190 --> 00:19:33,750 S1: And certainly the suffering, I guess, that continues to radiate 352 00:19:33,750 --> 00:19:36,390 S1: from these crimes. Because one thing I thought was, was 353 00:19:36,390 --> 00:19:39,149 S1: interesting was that, uh, Simon Patterson did write a statement 354 00:19:39,150 --> 00:19:42,129 S1: in which he said that, you know, he's still enduring trauma, 355 00:19:42,130 --> 00:19:44,490 S1: which is understandable because, of course, not only has this 356 00:19:44,490 --> 00:19:47,690 S1: crime occurred and his children have lost their grandparents, but 357 00:19:47,690 --> 00:19:50,810 S1: he said that strangers had menaced his home and ambushed 358 00:19:50,810 --> 00:19:52,889 S1: him at his door and in the street. Were you 359 00:19:52,890 --> 00:19:53,770 S1: surprised by that? 360 00:19:54,290 --> 00:19:57,610 S2: Yeah. He was quite scathing of, um, a small handful 361 00:19:57,609 --> 00:20:00,929 S2: of members of the the media that had, he says, 362 00:20:00,930 --> 00:20:05,330 S2: gone well and truly above and beyond what is reasonable 363 00:20:05,330 --> 00:20:08,450 S2: in trying to seek out comment from him? Um, that 364 00:20:08,450 --> 00:20:10,730 S2: was something that he said had been incredibly troubling and 365 00:20:10,730 --> 00:20:13,850 S2: concerning to him. Um, he also spoke about having to 366 00:20:13,850 --> 00:20:16,810 S2: have a secret codeword, um, almost with his children, that 367 00:20:16,810 --> 00:20:18,930 S2: if they're in a cafe and they feel like there's 368 00:20:18,930 --> 00:20:21,290 S2: someone with a camera coming up to them, he can 369 00:20:21,290 --> 00:20:23,250 S2: say it to try and get them out safely and 370 00:20:23,250 --> 00:20:27,729 S2: quickly without having, um, his young children being confronted by this. Um, 371 00:20:27,770 --> 00:20:30,690 S2: the media clearly have a story to tell. We clearly 372 00:20:30,690 --> 00:20:34,010 S2: have information to share. Um, but I don't think anybody 373 00:20:34,010 --> 00:20:37,250 S2: would disagree with with Simon's sentiment that that is way 374 00:20:37,250 --> 00:20:40,510 S2: too far and very invasive to his life. Um, he's 375 00:20:40,510 --> 00:20:43,310 S2: now a single father trying to raise two children, and, um, 376 00:20:43,350 --> 00:20:45,510 S2: that was the message he really wanted to get across. 377 00:20:45,869 --> 00:20:47,869 S1: And was there anything else that you learned during the 378 00:20:47,869 --> 00:20:49,830 S1: sentencing that you didn't already know that? You know, I 379 00:20:49,830 --> 00:20:51,590 S1: know that we don't know the the motive and that, 380 00:20:51,670 --> 00:20:53,710 S1: like you say, one isn't needed to to make a 381 00:20:53,710 --> 00:20:55,830 S1: finding of murder in the state of Victoria. But is 382 00:20:55,830 --> 00:20:58,270 S1: there anything else you discovered that maybe either gave an 383 00:20:58,270 --> 00:21:01,790 S1: insight into what was happening with Aaron Patterson or whether it's, 384 00:21:01,830 --> 00:21:03,990 S1: you know, the suffering that has resulted that we didn't 385 00:21:03,990 --> 00:21:06,109 S1: know previously? Like, what else did you learn that was 386 00:21:06,109 --> 00:21:07,030 S1: really notable? 387 00:21:07,310 --> 00:21:10,790 S2: I think it was the absence of that that was 388 00:21:10,790 --> 00:21:15,310 S2: the most notable. Normally when you get to this point, um, 389 00:21:15,310 --> 00:21:17,950 S2: once a jury returned a guilty verdict or a person 390 00:21:17,950 --> 00:21:21,710 S2: pleads guilty to a significant offense such as murder, usually 391 00:21:21,710 --> 00:21:25,909 S2: a defense team will tend to psychic or psychiatric psychological statements. 392 00:21:26,030 --> 00:21:29,710 S2: They'll tend to, um, supporting statements from friends or family, 393 00:21:29,710 --> 00:21:32,590 S2: or there'll be lots of material that gives the judge 394 00:21:32,630 --> 00:21:35,590 S2: an insight into who a person is, largely for the 395 00:21:35,590 --> 00:21:37,750 S2: first time. And sometimes we get a little bit of 396 00:21:37,970 --> 00:21:41,730 S2: information about that from a plea hearing. But even his 397 00:21:41,770 --> 00:21:45,010 S2: honor noted today that we really don't know that much 398 00:21:45,010 --> 00:21:47,290 S2: about her past, and there wasn't a lot that he 399 00:21:47,290 --> 00:21:51,250 S2: could talk about often. Um, those sorts of statements from, 400 00:21:51,290 --> 00:21:53,530 S2: you know, medical statements and the like are used as 401 00:21:53,570 --> 00:21:56,730 S2: what are called mitigating factors and can be used to 402 00:21:56,770 --> 00:22:01,130 S2: reduce a person's sentence. It's her choice. Ultimately, it's her 403 00:22:01,130 --> 00:22:03,850 S2: choice of whether or not she wants to put forward 404 00:22:03,850 --> 00:22:06,290 S2: those sorts of statements. If she wants to sit down 405 00:22:06,290 --> 00:22:08,649 S2: with medical staff, if she wants to reach out to 406 00:22:08,690 --> 00:22:11,250 S2: people to write statements. This is all this is all 407 00:22:11,290 --> 00:22:14,210 S2: her decision. And for whatever reason, she's decided not to, 408 00:22:14,250 --> 00:22:17,570 S2: and she's instructed her defense team not to. Maybe that's 409 00:22:17,570 --> 00:22:20,210 S2: a there's a strategy in that. Who knows? Um, we 410 00:22:20,210 --> 00:22:22,650 S2: do know that she has said, um, for a while 411 00:22:22,650 --> 00:22:25,250 S2: now that she plans to appeal. She maintains her innocence 412 00:22:25,250 --> 00:22:29,170 S2: and maintains this. This whole tragedy was just one big mistake. 413 00:22:29,330 --> 00:22:32,850 S2: But what the defense team really largely relied on, um, 414 00:22:32,890 --> 00:22:35,530 S2: in their case, in order to try and, um, gain 415 00:22:35,530 --> 00:22:40,270 S2: a parole period for Aaron Patterson was her conditions in custody, 416 00:22:40,270 --> 00:22:42,510 S2: and that was what the defense team really relied on 417 00:22:42,550 --> 00:22:46,869 S2: to try and convince his honor to show their client 418 00:22:46,869 --> 00:22:47,590 S2: some mercy. 419 00:22:47,910 --> 00:22:49,950 S1: Well, Aaron, just to wrap up, so what is next? 420 00:22:49,950 --> 00:22:52,110 S1: Because you've just mentioned, of course, she's got the opportunity 421 00:22:52,109 --> 00:22:54,550 S1: to appeal. I believe her legal team has 28 days. 422 00:22:54,550 --> 00:22:57,149 S1: So on what grounds could she appeal? And are we 423 00:22:57,150 --> 00:22:58,390 S1: anticipating that she will? 424 00:22:58,830 --> 00:23:01,109 S2: Yeah. So there's there's a number of different avenues you 425 00:23:01,109 --> 00:23:04,670 S2: can go down. A person can say that they have 426 00:23:04,670 --> 00:23:07,230 S2: an unsafe, guilty verdict. For whatever reason, they didn't get 427 00:23:07,230 --> 00:23:10,510 S2: a fair trial. There was something that happened during the trial. 428 00:23:10,510 --> 00:23:13,190 S2: That means that she should get a retrial or she 429 00:23:13,190 --> 00:23:17,230 S2: should have, um, her conviction quashed altogether. She can also, um, 430 00:23:17,270 --> 00:23:21,910 S2: say that the sentence is manifestly too much, uh, and 431 00:23:21,950 --> 00:23:24,149 S2: they need the sentence to be reduced. So there's a 432 00:23:24,150 --> 00:23:27,350 S2: number of different avenues a person can go down exactly 433 00:23:27,350 --> 00:23:30,630 S2: what Aaron Patterson is going to do next. We don't know. Um, 434 00:23:30,830 --> 00:23:34,830 S2: we often see appeals lodged at the 11th hour once 435 00:23:34,830 --> 00:23:37,050 S2: they've got those 28 days. So we may not hear 436 00:23:37,050 --> 00:23:40,090 S2: anything else. Any other movement on this case now for 437 00:23:40,090 --> 00:23:42,730 S2: a number of weeks. But if we do hear anything, 438 00:23:42,730 --> 00:23:45,210 S2: we will be sure to let the public know about 439 00:23:45,210 --> 00:23:47,090 S2: what the next steps are for Aaron Patterson. 440 00:23:49,609 --> 00:23:51,770 S1: What we know it's been an incredibly busy day for 441 00:23:51,770 --> 00:23:55,090 S1: you already, so thank you so much, Aaron, for your time. 442 00:23:55,330 --> 00:23:56,290 S2: No worries. Thank you. 443 00:23:58,530 --> 00:24:03,129 S5: Finally, and most importantly, your offending involved an enormous betrayal 444 00:24:03,130 --> 00:24:07,449 S5: of trust. Your victims were all your relatives by marriage. 445 00:24:07,930 --> 00:24:10,330 S5: More than that, they had all been good to you 446 00:24:10,330 --> 00:24:13,489 S5: and your children over many years. As you acknowledged in 447 00:24:13,490 --> 00:24:17,970 S5: your testimony, not only did you cut short three lives 448 00:24:17,970 --> 00:24:23,250 S5: and cause lasting damage to Ian Wilkinson's health, thereby devastating 449 00:24:23,250 --> 00:24:28,370 S5: the extended Patterson and Wilkinson families, you inflicted untold suffering 450 00:24:28,369 --> 00:24:32,490 S5: on your own children whom you robbed of their beloved grandparents. 451 00:24:46,910 --> 00:24:50,230 S1: Today's episode of The Morning Edition was produced by myself 452 00:24:50,230 --> 00:24:54,230 S1: and Josh towers, with technical assistance by Kai Wong. Our 453 00:24:54,230 --> 00:24:57,790 S1: executive producer is Tammy Mills. Tom McKendrick is our head 454 00:24:57,790 --> 00:25:00,709 S1: of audio. To listen to our episodes as soon as 455 00:25:00,710 --> 00:25:04,550 S1: they drop, follow the Morning Edition on Apple, Spotify, or 456 00:25:04,590 --> 00:25:09,230 S1: wherever you listen to podcasts. Our newsrooms are powered by subscriptions, 457 00:25:09,230 --> 00:25:15,430 S1: so to support independent journalism, visit the page or smh.com.au. Subscribe. 458 00:25:16,030 --> 00:25:17,870 S1: And to stay up to date, sign up to our 459 00:25:17,869 --> 00:25:20,430 S1: Morning Edition newsletter to receive a summary of the day's 460 00:25:20,430 --> 00:25:24,669 S1: most important news in your inbox every morning. Links are 461 00:25:24,670 --> 00:25:29,070 S1: in the show. Notes. I'm Samantha Selinger. Morris, thanks for listening.