Our idea of justice is being tested—can mental illness explain a deadly mushroom lunch?
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CONTENT WARNING: This article contains references to alleged poisoning and murder that may be distressing to some readers.
She lied about cancer to win sympathy—then cooked a deadly lunch that shocked the nation.
Now, a chilling psychological diagnosis has surfaced that could alter her fate behind bars.
Could this twist help convicted killer Erin Patterson avoid a life sentence?
After her arrest in November 2023, Erin Patterson was reportedly diagnosed with Munchausen Syndrome—a rare psychological condition that may now become a focal point of her sentencing.
Medical staff at the Dame Phyllis Frost Correctional Centre reportedly identified the disorder when Patterson was first taken into custody in November 2023.
The condition, also known as Factitious Disorder Imposed on Self, causes sufferers to fake or induce illness in order to gain sympathy or attention from others.
Patterson, now 50, was convicted of murdering Don and Gail Patterson, along with Gail’s sister Heather Wilkinson, and attempting to murder Heather’s husband Ian, after hosting a deadly lunch at her Leongatha home.
During her ten-week trial, Patterson admitted she lied about having cancer to gain sympathy from her victims—claims that aligned with behaviour often linked to Munchausen’s.
The court heard she relished the emotional support and concern from her in-laws, saying on the witness stand: ‘I had told Don and Gail about what I was worried about… They made me feel loved and cared for in the way that they were asking about my health and I didn’t want that to stop, so I kept going.’
While Don Patterson lay dying in Korumburra Hospital, he reportedly told staff that Erin had told him she had ovarian cancer.
She later admitted she had never undergone any medical scans or appointments related to cancer, despite telling Gail she was being investigated for the illness.
The jury found Patterson guilty on 7 July, concluding she had acted with intent to kill.
Her sentencing has not yet been scheduled, though it is expected to take place in August.
Patterson remains in solitary confinement for her own safety, spending nearly 24 hours a day alone, with sources dismissing claims she had been working in the prison kitchen.
Her legal team, led by barristers Colin Mandy, KC, and Sophie Stafford, is expected to raise mitigating factors during the plea hearing, including the rare diagnosis of Munchausen’s.
Under Victoria’s Sentencing Act of 1991, ‘Verdins principles’ allow a judge to reduce an offender’s moral culpability and consider the extra hardship prison poses due to mental illness.
Convicted criminals in Victoria regularly rely on these principles when facing life sentences.
However, sources close to the prison and police believe Patterson may resist any admission of mental illness at sentencing.
‘She’s a narcissist,’ one source claimed.
‘She loves the attention and I doubt she’ll be falling on her sword now and making any kind of admissions.’
Whether Patterson agrees to be reassessed by a forensic psychiatrist remains uncertain.
Renowned Melbourne criminal lawyer George Balot explained that while medical conditions can soften sentencing outcomes, the bar remains high.
‘Sentencing individuals with Munchausen Syndrome or Factitious Disorder is a difficult exercise because the condition is complex,’ he said.
‘Generally speaking ill health will be a factor tending to mitigate punishment only when it appears that imprisonment will be a greater burden on the offender by reason of their state of health or when there is a serious risk of imprisonment having a gravely adverse effect on the offender’s health.’
Balot added that protective custody—such as Patterson’s current conditions—may also be considered mitigating if proven to be especially harsh.
Until her plea hearing, Patterson will remain behind bars, confined and under close watch, as her legal team prepares to argue for a lesser sentence in one of Australia's most haunting criminal cases.
When mental health becomes part of a courtroom defence, it raises important questions about how such conditions are diagnosed and supported.
Behind the headlines, access to proper psychiatric care can be slow and deeply flawed—even in urgent cases.
One recent report revealed just how overwhelmed the system can be, with patients waiting days for critical help.
Read more: Shocking Leak Reveals Sydney Hospital Patients Enduring 88-Hour Waits for Mental Health Care
Could a mental health diagnosis truly change the punishment for one of Australia’s most notorious murderers?
She lied about cancer to win sympathy—then cooked a deadly lunch that shocked the nation.
Now, a chilling psychological diagnosis has surfaced that could alter her fate behind bars.
Could this twist help convicted killer Erin Patterson avoid a life sentence?
After her arrest in November 2023, Erin Patterson was reportedly diagnosed with Munchausen Syndrome—a rare psychological condition that may now become a focal point of her sentencing.
Medical staff at the Dame Phyllis Frost Correctional Centre reportedly identified the disorder when Patterson was first taken into custody in November 2023.
The condition, also known as Factitious Disorder Imposed on Self, causes sufferers to fake or induce illness in order to gain sympathy or attention from others.
Munchausen diagnosis may impact sentencing outcome. Image source: Facebook/Sky News Australia
Patterson, now 50, was convicted of murdering Don and Gail Patterson, along with Gail’s sister Heather Wilkinson, and attempting to murder Heather’s husband Ian, after hosting a deadly lunch at her Leongatha home.
During her ten-week trial, Patterson admitted she lied about having cancer to gain sympathy from her victims—claims that aligned with behaviour often linked to Munchausen’s.
The court heard she relished the emotional support and concern from her in-laws, saying on the witness stand: ‘I had told Don and Gail about what I was worried about… They made me feel loved and cared for in the way that they were asking about my health and I didn’t want that to stop, so I kept going.’
While Don Patterson lay dying in Korumburra Hospital, he reportedly told staff that Erin had told him she had ovarian cancer.
She later admitted she had never undergone any medical scans or appointments related to cancer, despite telling Gail she was being investigated for the illness.
The jury found Patterson guilty on 7 July, concluding she had acted with intent to kill.
Her sentencing has not yet been scheduled, though it is expected to take place in August.
Patterson remains in solitary confinement for her own safety, spending nearly 24 hours a day alone, with sources dismissing claims she had been working in the prison kitchen.
Her legal team, led by barristers Colin Mandy, KC, and Sophie Stafford, is expected to raise mitigating factors during the plea hearing, including the rare diagnosis of Munchausen’s.
Under Victoria’s Sentencing Act of 1991, ‘Verdins principles’ allow a judge to reduce an offender’s moral culpability and consider the extra hardship prison poses due to mental illness.
Convicted criminals in Victoria regularly rely on these principles when facing life sentences.
However, sources close to the prison and police believe Patterson may resist any admission of mental illness at sentencing.
‘She’s a narcissist,’ one source claimed.
‘She loves the attention and I doubt she’ll be falling on her sword now and making any kind of admissions.’
Whether Patterson agrees to be reassessed by a forensic psychiatrist remains uncertain.
Renowned Melbourne criminal lawyer George Balot explained that while medical conditions can soften sentencing outcomes, the bar remains high.
‘Sentencing individuals with Munchausen Syndrome or Factitious Disorder is a difficult exercise because the condition is complex,’ he said.
‘Generally speaking ill health will be a factor tending to mitigate punishment only when it appears that imprisonment will be a greater burden on the offender by reason of their state of health or when there is a serious risk of imprisonment having a gravely adverse effect on the offender’s health.’
Balot added that protective custody—such as Patterson’s current conditions—may also be considered mitigating if proven to be especially harsh.
Until her plea hearing, Patterson will remain behind bars, confined and under close watch, as her legal team prepares to argue for a lesser sentence in one of Australia's most haunting criminal cases.
When mental health becomes part of a courtroom defence, it raises important questions about how such conditions are diagnosed and supported.
Behind the headlines, access to proper psychiatric care can be slow and deeply flawed—even in urgent cases.
One recent report revealed just how overwhelmed the system can be, with patients waiting days for critical help.
Read more: Shocking Leak Reveals Sydney Hospital Patients Enduring 88-Hour Waits for Mental Health Care
Could a mental health diagnosis truly change the punishment for one of Australia’s most notorious murderers?
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