We explore Erin Patterson's future after being found guilty of murder, examining what life imprisonment means in Victoria and what happens when entering the prison system. I share insights about the Dame Phyllis Frost Centre where Patterson is being held, her difficult adjustment to prison life, and how inmates navigate Australia's correctional system.
• Patterson is currently held in protective isolation at Dame Phyllis Frost Centre in Melbourne
• She has reportedly frustrated prison staff with constant complaints about conditions
• Other inmates have targeted her with mushroom-related insults
• In Victoria, life imprisonment truly means remaining in prison for one's natural life
• The Supreme Court can decide whether to set a non-parole period or not
• Murder is classified as a Category 1 offence requiring imprisonment with few exceptions
• Ex-inmate advice suggests respect, avoiding debt, and maintaining mental health are crucial for survival
• Patterson has reportedly received "love letters" from parasocial supporters who follow her case
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This week, I'll be interviewing Duncan McNabb, one of the authors of an upcoming book about Erin Patterson.
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Transcript
Episode Transcript
Available transcripts are automatically generated. Complete accuracy is not guaranteed.
Speaker 1 (00:01):
Hello and welcome to the Mushroom Murder Trial
podcast.
My name is Lisa Tate and todaywe are going to look into prison
and the potential sentence forErin Patterson, which will be
coming up in the next couple ofmonths.
So make a note of that.
But before we start, just areminder make sure you're
(00:22):
subscribing to the newsletter onmushroommurdertrialcom.
You get information first andit's jam-packed with news and
it's free, and I'd also like you, if you could, to follow and
review this podcast.
Thank you.
As we know, erin Patterson wasfound guilty of murder, but what
sentence is she facing and whathappens when someone enters
(00:46):
Victoria's prison system for avery long time?
What does life imprisonmentreally mean?
Let's break it down Now.
Convicted Patterson faces thereality of a life sentence, and
her first nights in prison as aguilty woman may have already
left their mark.
The Sydney Morning Herald saidSources described her as
(01:09):
appearing shocked and drained,clearly struggling to adjust to
the harsh new chapter that'sbegun.
Ms Patterson is being held inthe Danefellas Frost Centre.
It's quite a notorious prison,actually, and it's a maximum
security facility in Melbourne.
She's been housed in protectiveisolation since her arrest in
(01:30):
late 2023, not due to violence,but due to protect her from
others and perhaps herself.
Despite not being physicallyaggressive, patterson has
frustrated other inmates andprison officers with her
constant complaints.
One former staff memberrecalled her frequently
(01:51):
demanding changes to her celltemperature, as though it's the
Hilton.
She seemed completely obliviousto the environment.
She was now in Quote.
It's not a hotel.
Yes, she hadn't been convictedat that point, but it's still a
prison, they told the SMH Quote.
(02:12):
It's not meant to be customisedfor your comfort.
The report said that insideprison she was targeted with
frequent mocking, especiallyduring early custody when other
inmates regularly hurledmushroom-related insults her way
.
According to the SMH, attemptsto participate in prison
(02:34):
activities like a knitting club,and that's under strict
supervision.
Obviously they were short-lived.
She was later returned tostricter isolation, prompting
speculation about an altercationor misconduct, though nothing
had been confirmed.
Her only visible support duringthe trial came from her online
(02:57):
acquaintance, ali Rose Pryor,who she met through the True
Crime Facebook group.
No one from her hometownpersonal life, any family
members, appeared in court onher behalf.
I think that's fairy telling,just in my opinion, even if her
(03:17):
closest circle appears to haveexisted more online than in
person.
Now, during the trial inMorwell on weekends, she was
transported back and forth fromDame Phyllis Frost every weekend
, but she was staying in localholding cells with minimal
amenities during the week.
Now she became reallyfrustrated with her lack of
(03:38):
access to legal documents andher bedding.
Ms Patterson's complaintsbecame a feature of the
proceedings at the start, butnow she's awaiting sentencing,
and Erin Patterson's future willlikely involve extended periods
where there's minimal humancontact and little hope for
relief.
(03:59):
For someone described as quiet,bright and introverted, life may
be proving.
For someone described as quiet,bright and introverted, life in
(04:19):
prison may prove the ultimatepunishment one without an end.
Now I just want to go throughlife imprisonment in Victoria.
I've been doing some researchand in that state, a life
sentence means just that theoffender remains in prison for
the rest of their natural life.
(04:39):
Only the Supreme Court can handdown a life decision, and Erin
her trial was in the SupremeCourt, so she does face that.
While the court can set anon-parole period, a minimum
time before the offender iseligible for parole, it's under
no obligation to do so.
(04:59):
In cases deemed especiallyserious, the court may refuse to
set a parole period altogether.
That means the person stays inprison until they die.
Now there's Category 1 and 2offences.
Since 2017, victoria's courtshave categorised certain crimes
(05:26):
under two tiers Category 1 andCategory 2.
Now Category 1 includes themost serious crime, so murders,
at the top of the list, andothers like SA, indecent acts on
a child and aggravated homeinvasion.
(05:47):
For Category 1 offences, thecourt must sentence the person
to a term of imprisonment.
There are no exceptions unlessthe offender is mentally
impaired, has assisted police orthere are other exceptional and
rare circumstances.
In the case of Patterson, foundguilty of murder, the court has
almost no discretion she mustgo to prison.
Let's say, after the guiltyverdict is handed down and Aaron
(06:11):
Patterson is sentenced toprison, what happens next?
Well, we should look inside thewalls of Australia's prisons to
explore what it takes to survivementally and physically behind
bars, and some of these insightscome from a website called
Ausprisons, and it's afirst-hand guide by an ex-inmate
(06:31):
, jackson A, who provides aground level view of the
Australian prison experience.
Now, I went looking for thisinformation because my friend
Jen and I we had a podcasttogether about Jeffrey Epstein,
but before that we were thinkingof doing one.
I don't know if you heard aboutit.
In California, these parentswere paying to get their kids
(06:51):
into university, and a lot ofthem were celebrities.
So there was a woman who was onDesperate Housewives and Auntie
Becky from Full House.
So they ended up having to doprison and they hired prison
consultants.
So I was thinking, well, erin'sgot plenty of money.
I wonder if she's had a prisonconsultant.
(07:11):
But we don't really have thatin Australia, so there's a gap
in a market there for sure ifsomeone wants to start a
business.
But Jackson A was as close as Icame to firsthand information.
Now the first reality is afteryou're found guilty.
You arrive under intensescrutiny and, believe it or not,
(07:34):
this process is routine and itis a stark change, although I
think Erin's been through itbefore.
Now you need to stay safe onthe inside and he said if you
act like a decent human being,you shouldn't find yourself in
too much trouble.
Respect others, avoid gossipsor fights and don't overshare
personal information Copingmentally.
(07:56):
So he said that mentalresilience is absolutely
critical.
Stay physically active, go tothe gym if you can, keep your
mind octopied with reading,writing and learning new skills,
and hold on to connections withfamilies.
Calls, letters and visits Helpmaintain your mental well-being.
(08:18):
So the author, an ex-inmate withtime in New South Wales prisons
reassures that while our jailscan be rough and there are
fights and stabbings, random orunprovoked attacks are uncommon.
So get your notebook out.
This is how you stay safe.
Don't act tough in prison, soavoid initiating fights or
(08:40):
challenging the establishedpecking order.
Be respectful, show basiccourtesy to fellow inmates.
Empathy goes a long way.
Avoid owing money or drugs.
Depths, especially forcontraband, lead to conflicts
and endangerment.
I should do that again.
Avoid owing money or drugs.
(09:01):
That's self-explanatory, isn'tit?
Make friends but avoidsnitching Allies.
Offer protection andcompanionship.
Being labelled a dog so that'sif you dob is dangerous.
Be smart around phones andprivacy.
(09:22):
Learn jail-specific etiquette,like queuing properly for phones
and not invading other space.
And avoid protective custodyunless absolutely necessary.
Known as the boneyard, it oftenhouses sex offenders.
Claim claiming fear withoutcause can lead to isolation with
(09:42):
suspicion.
So usually conflict stems fromdebts, drugs, theft or
disrespect, not randomaggression.
From the author's experience,he said he never experienced
direct threats when he followedthe guidelines.
Safety is largely a result ofcommon sense, respect and
(10:04):
avoiding conflicts.
So that is fascinating, isn'tit?
And he said steer clear of thatunnecessary isolation.
So when you first go in andthey say to you do you have any
fears for your safety.
He said that don't say yesunless you really are worried,
(10:26):
and he said a lot of the timethat's for SA offenders.
So another thing that'shappened and this was from the
SMH article as well parasocialsupporters.
Now they're people who identifywith the case very strongly and
(10:47):
obsessives.
According to the SMH, they'regathering online, like many
figures central to a sensationalcrime.
Patterson would begin receivinglove letters inside prison.
Others showed up for the trialitself just to gawk at her from
a distance.
Now you may think that loveletters is a stretch, but no.
On my YouTube channel for theMushroom Murder Trial podcast, I
(11:11):
, three weeks ago, got thismessage and I thought it was
just someone I don't knowtrolling me or trying to get
attention, but maybe not.
It said, many are closelyfollowing this case, drawn in by
its salacious twists abeautiful woman, a deadly scheme
and a near-perfect escape.
It has all the makings of amodern-day femme fatale story.
(11:33):
Femme fatale story, hmm.
So if we understand Erin'spotential future in prison and
if she's incarcerated for life,it's going to be really
difficult for her.
It's going to be challenging,rigid and emotionally taxing.
But that's my quick briefing onprison survival in Australia,
(12:04):
from preparation topsychological endurance, and
because Erin is likely on theinside, this is the environment
she will stay in.
So thanks for listening today.
For more information, visit mywebsite, mushroommurdertrialcom.
Make sure you subscribe to mynewsletter there as well.
Plus, I'm on Instagram All mysocial media.
They're down the bottom in theshow notes so you can click on
(12:25):
there if you'd like to engage,and I'd like to also welcome
everyone who's come this wayfrom YouTube.
Dead set Leshet.
I would like to thank everyonewho's come this way via YouTube
Welcome.
Thank you so much for joiningus.
Now I'll also put links in theshow notes to all my social
(12:46):
media accounts and if you feellike rewarding me for the
thousands of hours I've spent onthis work, you can buy me a
coffee for a one-off $5 as athank you.
The link is in the show notes,but only if you can afford it.
The greatest honour is yourtime, because we're all so busy
these days.
Also, this week, I have one ofthe authors of the upcoming
(13:11):
Aaron Patterson books coming out, duncan McNabb.
I just have to work out whatday it is.
I have to negotiate studio timeand things, so that is exciting
.
He's on Instagram as well, ifyou want to see the kind of work
he's done, roger Rogerson.
He's done a book on him,fascinating guy.
So he's been following Erinfrom the start and he's got a
(13:31):
book coming out very, very soon.
So stay tuned as we continue toexplore every angle of this
case, from the courtroom toErin's life.
My name's Lisa and thank youfor listening to the Mushroom
Murder Trial podcast.
Thanks, bye.
Hello and welcome to the Mushroom Murder Trial
podcast.
My name is Lisa Tate and todaywe are going to look into prison
and the potential sentence forErin Patterson, which will be
coming up in the next couple ofmonths.
So make a note of that.
But before we start, just areminder make sure you're
(00:22):
subscribing to the newsletter onmushroommurdertrialcom.
You get information first andit's jam-packed with news and
it's free, and I'd also like you, if you could, to follow and
review this podcast.
Thank you.
As we know, erin Patterson wasfound guilty of murder, but what
sentence is she facing and whathappens when someone enters
(00:46):
Victoria's prison system for avery long time?
What does life imprisonmentreally mean?
Let's break it down Now.
Convicted Patterson faces thereality of a life sentence, and
her first nights in prison as aguilty woman may have already
left their mark.
The Sydney Morning Herald saidSources described her as
(01:09):
appearing shocked and drained,clearly struggling to adjust to
the harsh new chapter that'sbegun.
Ms Patterson is being held inthe Danefellas Frost Centre.
It's quite a notorious prison,actually, and it's a maximum
security facility in Melbourne.
She's been housed in protectiveisolation since her arrest in
(01:30):
late 2023, not due to violence,but due to protect her from
others and perhaps herself.
Despite not being physicallyaggressive, patterson has
frustrated other inmates andprison officers with her
constant complaints.
One former staff memberrecalled her frequently
(01:51):
demanding changes to her celltemperature, as though it's the
Hilton.
She seemed completely obliviousto the environment.
She was now in Quote.
It's not a hotel.
Yes, she hadn't been convictedat that point, but it's still a
prison, they told the SMH Quote.
(02:12):
It's not meant to be customisedfor your comfort.
The report said that insideprison she was targeted with
frequent mocking, especiallyduring early custody when other
inmates regularly hurledmushroom-related insults her way
.
According to the SMH, attemptsto participate in prison
(02:34):
activities like a knitting club,and that's under strict
supervision.
Obviously they were short-lived.
She was later returned tostricter isolation, prompting
speculation about an altercationor misconduct, though nothing
had been confirmed.
Her only visible support duringthe trial came from her online
(02:57):
acquaintance, ali Rose Pryor,who she met through the True
Crime Facebook group.
No one from her hometownpersonal life, any family
members, appeared in court onher behalf.
I think that's fairy telling,just in my opinion, even if her
(03:17):
closest circle appears to haveexisted more online than in
person.
Now, during the trial inMorwell on weekends, she was
transported back and forth fromDame Phyllis Frost every weekend
, but she was staying in localholding cells with minimal
amenities during the week.
Now she became reallyfrustrated with her lack of
(03:38):
access to legal documents andher bedding.
Ms Patterson's complaintsbecame a feature of the
proceedings at the start, butnow she's awaiting sentencing,
and Erin Patterson's future willlikely involve extended periods
where there's minimal humancontact and little hope for
relief.
(03:59):
For someone described as quiet,bright and introverted, life may
be proving.
For someone described as quiet,bright and introverted, life in
(04:19):
prison may prove the ultimatepunishment one without an end.
Now I just want to go throughlife imprisonment in Victoria.
I've been doing some researchand in that state, a life
sentence means just that theoffender remains in prison for
the rest of their natural life.
(04:39):
Only the Supreme Court can handdown a life decision, and Erin
her trial was in the SupremeCourt, so she does face that.
While the court can set anon-parole period, a minimum
time before the offender iseligible for parole, it's under
no obligation to do so.
(04:59):
In cases deemed especiallyserious, the court may refuse to
set a parole period altogether.
That means the person stays inprison until they die.
Now there's Category 1 and 2offences.
Since 2017, victoria's courtshave categorised certain crimes
(05:26):
under two tiers Category 1 andCategory 2.
Now Category 1 includes themost serious crime, so murders,
at the top of the list, andothers like SA, indecent acts on
a child and aggravated homeinvasion.
(05:47):
For Category 1 offences, thecourt must sentence the person
to a term of imprisonment.
There are no exceptions unlessthe offender is mentally
impaired, has assisted police orthere are other exceptional and
rare circumstances.
In the case of Patterson, foundguilty of murder, the court has
almost no discretion she mustgo to prison.
Let's say, after the guiltyverdict is handed down and Aaron
(06:11):
Patterson is sentenced toprison, what happens next?
Well, we should look inside thewalls of Australia's prisons to
explore what it takes to survivementally and physically behind
bars, and some of these insightscome from a website called
Ausprisons, and it's afirst-hand guide by an ex-inmate
(06:31):
, jackson A, who provides aground level view of the
Australian prison experience.
Now, I went looking for thisinformation because my friend
Jen and I we had a podcasttogether about Jeffrey Epstein,
but before that we were thinkingof doing one.
I don't know if you heard aboutit.
In California, these parentswere paying to get their kids
(06:51):
into university, and a lot ofthem were celebrities.
So there was a woman who was onDesperate Housewives and Auntie
Becky from Full House.
So they ended up having to doprison and they hired prison
consultants.
So I was thinking, well, erin'sgot plenty of money.
I wonder if she's had a prisonconsultant.
(07:11):
But we don't really have thatin Australia, so there's a gap
in a market there for sure ifsomeone wants to start a
business.
But Jackson A was as close as Icame to firsthand information.
Now the first reality is afteryou're found guilty.
You arrive under intensescrutiny and, believe it or not,
(07:34):
this process is routine and itis a stark change, although I
think Erin's been through itbefore.
Now you need to stay safe onthe inside and he said if you
act like a decent human being,you shouldn't find yourself in
too much trouble.
Respect others, avoid gossipsor fights and don't overshare
personal information Copingmentally.
(07:56):
So he said that mentalresilience is absolutely
critical.
Stay physically active, go tothe gym if you can, keep your
mind octopied with reading,writing and learning new skills,
and hold on to connections withfamilies.
Calls, letters and visits Helpmaintain your mental well-being.
(08:18):
So the author, an ex-inmate withtime in New South Wales prisons
reassures that while our jailscan be rough and there are
fights and stabbings, random orunprovoked attacks are uncommon.
So get your notebook out.
This is how you stay safe.
Don't act tough in prison, soavoid initiating fights or
(08:40):
challenging the establishedpecking order.
Be respectful, show basiccourtesy to fellow inmates.
Empathy goes a long way.
Avoid owing money or drugs.
Depths, especially forcontraband, lead to conflicts
and endangerment.
I should do that again.
Avoid owing money or drugs.
(09:01):
That's self-explanatory, isn'tit?
Make friends but avoidsnitching Allies.
Offer protection andcompanionship.
Being labelled a dog so that'sif you dob is dangerous.
Be smart around phones andprivacy.
(09:22):
Learn jail-specific etiquette,like queuing properly for phones
and not invading other space.
And avoid protective custodyunless absolutely necessary.
Known as the boneyard, it oftenhouses sex offenders.
Claim claiming fear withoutcause can lead to isolation with
(09:42):
suspicion.
So usually conflict stems fromdebts, drugs, theft or
disrespect, not randomaggression.
From the author's experience,he said he never experienced
direct threats when he followedthe guidelines.
Safety is largely a result ofcommon sense, respect and
(10:04):
avoiding conflicts.
So that is fascinating, isn'tit?
And he said steer clear of thatunnecessary isolation.
So when you first go in andthey say to you do you have any
fears for your safety.
He said that don't say yesunless you really are worried,
(10:26):
and he said a lot of the timethat's for SA offenders.
So another thing that'shappened and this was from the
SMH article as well parasocialsupporters.
Now they're people who identifywith the case very strongly and
(10:47):
obsessives.
According to the SMH, they'regathering online, like many
figures central to a sensationalcrime.
Patterson would begin receivinglove letters inside prison.
Others showed up for the trialitself just to gawk at her from
a distance.
Now you may think that loveletters is a stretch, but no.
On my YouTube channel for theMushroom Murder Trial podcast, I
(11:11):
, three weeks ago, got thismessage and I thought it was
just someone I don't knowtrolling me or trying to get
attention, but maybe not.
It said, many are closelyfollowing this case, drawn in by
its salacious twists abeautiful woman, a deadly scheme
and a near-perfect escape.
It has all the makings of amodern-day femme fatale story.
(11:33):
Femme fatale story, hmm.
So if we understand Erin'spotential future in prison and
if she's incarcerated for life,it's going to be really
difficult for her.
It's going to be challenging,rigid and emotionally taxing.
But that's my quick briefing onprison survival in Australia,
(12:04):
from preparation topsychological endurance, and
because Erin is likely on theinside, this is the environment
she will stay in.
So thanks for listening today.
For more information, visit mywebsite, mushroommurdertrialcom.
Make sure you subscribe to mynewsletter there as well.
Plus, I'm on Instagram All mysocial media.
They're down the bottom in theshow notes so you can click on
(12:25):
there if you'd like to engage,and I'd like to also welcome
everyone who's come this wayfrom YouTube.
Dead set Leshet.
I would like to thank everyonewho's come this way via YouTube
Welcome.
Thank you so much for joiningus.
Now I'll also put links in theshow notes to all my social
(12:46):
media accounts and if you feellike rewarding me for the
thousands of hours I've spent onthis work, you can buy me a
coffee for a one-off $5 as athank you.
The link is in the show notes,but only if you can afford it.
The greatest honour is yourtime, because we're all so busy
these days.
Also, this week, I have one ofthe authors of the upcoming
(13:11):
Aaron Patterson books coming out, duncan McNabb.
I just have to work out whatday it is.
I have to negotiate studio timeand things, so that is exciting
.
He's on Instagram as well, ifyou want to see the kind of work
he's done, roger Rogerson.
He's done a book on him,fascinating guy.
So he's been following Erinfrom the start and he's got a
(13:31):
book coming out very, very soon.
So stay tuned as we continue toexplore every angle of this
case, from the courtroom toErin's life.
My name's Lisa and thank youfor listening to the Mushroom
Murder Trial podcast.
Thanks, bye.
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