Court rejects appeal from Australian convicted mushroom killer

Erin Patterson, the Australian woman convicted of killing three relatives with a poisoned lunch, has failed in her attempt to have her convictions overturned after an appeals court found no basis to reopen the case.

Patterson was found guilty last year of murdering her husband’s parents and an elderly aunt by deliberately lacing their beef Wellington meal with highly toxic death cap mushrooms.

The 52-year-old argued her three murder convictions amounted to a “miscarriage of justice”, asking Victoria state’s Court of Appeal to either release her or order a new trial.

Each death cap mushroom contains enough poison to kill a healthy adult

The court said it had “dismissed” her application, ruling there were insufficient grounds to try the matter again.

In its decision, the court also held that Patterson’s original sentence — which made her eligible for release after 33 years — did not reflect the seriousness of the crimes.

The judges ordered that Patterson’s non-parole period be set aside, a move that means the 52-year-old is likely to die in prison.