LEGAL counsel for Leongatha triple murderer, Erin Patterson, Richard Edney, has told the Supreme Court in Melbourne this week that his client intends to appeal her conviction.
Mr Edney was addressing the trial judge in the Erin Patterson case, Justice Christopher Beale, at a procedural hearing in Melbourne on Thursday, October 2, during which application was made to extend the expiry date of orders associated with the trial in anticipation of an appeal being lodged.
Justice Beale agreed to the application.
“What we have today is an application to vary [orders] that Your Honour made in this matter on August 8, 2025,” said Mr Edney.
“Your Honour has received from my instructors an amended proposed variation to that [order] …seeking leave to appeal her conviction within 56 days of being sentenced,” he said.
Previously the orders were due to expire on the 29th day after sentencing or extended if leave to appeal was granted.
“So, we seek that variation to the order (extending the dates) and can indicate to Your Honour there will be an appeal against conviction,” said Mr Edney.
In response, Justice Beale acknowledged there was no objection from Crown Prosecutor Jane Warren SC and also that it was routine for such extensions of time to be granted.
“My understanding Mr Edney, is that for a trial period, applications for an extension of time to the Court of Appeal are routinely being granted if the application is for an extension of an additional 28 days. And given the length of this trial, the applicant is wanting to take advantage of that extension of time.
“All right, well I'll grant the application,” said Justice Beale after hearing from opposing counsel.
There was no indication about when Ms Patterson’s legal team will make their application for leave to appeal.
Erin Patterson appeared in court by video link from the Dame Phyllis Frost Corrections Centre where she is serving three life sentences and one of 25 years for the murders of three of her in-laws Don and Gail Patterson and Gail’s sister Heather Wilkinson, as well as the attempted murder of Heather’s husband, Ian Wilkinson, as a result of serving them a meal of beef Wellington laced death cap mushrooms at a family lunch on Saturday, July 29, 2023.
Ms Patterson, who turned 51 years of age on September 30, will be 82 years old before she will be eligible to apply for parole after serving a minimum sentence of 33 years.
