Accused mushroom murderer in jail unit with pedophile rapist
The woman accused of murdering three people with poisonous mushrooms has been forced into a protected prison unit alongside pedophile rapist Malka Leifer amid fears for her safety.
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Accused triple murderer mushroom cook Erin Patterson has been forced into a protected unit at a women’s maximum security prison alongside pedophile rapist school principal Malka Leifer as fears mount for the mother of two’s safety.
Ms Patterson, 49, has spent four months at Melbourne’s Dame Phyllis Frost Centre after she was charged with three counts of murder and five counts of attempted murder – three of which relate to earlier attempts to kill her ex-husband Simon Patterson – in November last year.
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Ms Patterson’s former in-laws Don and Gail Patterson and Gail’s sister Heather Wilkinson died after allegedly eating a poisonous beef wellington dish at her home.
Heather’s husband Ian Wilkinson miraculously survived after he spent two months in hospital.
Simon Patterson was due to attend the lunch, but pulled out at the last minute.
During Ms Patterson’s first court appearance, police were granted a 20-week adjournment, with their brief of evidence due to be served on Monday.
But Victoria Police confirmed on Friday that Homicide Squad detectives had served the brief to Ms Patterson’s legal team.
The brief is expected to contain a group of documents such as witness statements and photographs the prosecution will rely on as evidence.
Today the Herald Sun launches an explosive five-part podcast series, The Mushroom Cook, charting the twists and turns of the deadly meal that has made headlines around the world.
It comes as a prison source told the Herald Sun that Ms Patterson was placed into a protection unit, housed with some of the worst female offenders including Leifer, a pedophile principal.
The insider said Ms Patterson required isolation from other inmates due to safety risks.
“If Erin got out of protection, the girls would hurt her,” they said.
“She allegedly killed three elderly people.
“There’s a rule, you don’t touch the elderly and you don’t touch babies so because of that, you go into protection.
“She would be doing it very, very hard in there as she would only be able to speak to two or three girls and that’s it.”
The protection unit at the Dame Phyllis Frost Centre consists of two types of accommodation — cells and self-contained units.
It is believed Ms Patterson is detained in one of the self-contained units, which is decked out with a bed, shower, toilet, sink, desk and closet.
She cannot leave her unit but can freely walk around it.
The prison source revealed that Ms Patterson may have access to a kitchen where she cooks her own meals.
“She can cook anything, there’s all sorts of meats, vegetables, fruit,” they said.
“All the stuff you can buy in Coles and Woolworths, if she feels like steak, she can make that.”
All inmates work within different areas of the prison but because Ms Patterson is on remand, she is not required to do labour.
It is believed that convicted prisoners in protection units usually “work from home”, making blankets and dolls for hospitals.
Most inmates are also given a small allowance each week from activities undertaken in prison programs.
But the prison source said inmates need to reach out to family and friends for more cash.
“You really need to rely on the outside world to help you out with that,” they said.
“If you don’t have close relatives, it’s impossible.”
Inmates may receive money in line with prison guidelines with the maximum amount of $150 per calendar month.
Dame Phyllis Frost Centre is one of two female prisons in the state and currently houses more than 500 women.
Ms Patterson will return to Latrobe Valley Magistrates’ Court on May 3 for a committal mention where she will appear via video link.
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