July 13, 2025
Knitting Clubs and Poisoning Allegations: Mushroom Killer's Awkward Prison Adjustment Erin Patterson
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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 ...
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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Erin Patterson Mushrooms
Here it is in summary.
WEBVTT
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Hello and welcome to the Mushroom Murder Trial podcast.
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My name is Lisa Tate and today we are going to look into prison and the potential sentence for Erin Patterson, which will be coming up in the next couple of months.
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So make a note of that.
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But before we start, just a reminder make sure you're subscribing to the newsletter on mushroommurdertrialcom.
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You get information first and it's jam-packed with news and it's free, and I'd also like you, if you could, to follow and review this podcast.
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Thank you.
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As we know, erin Patterson was found guilty of murder, but what sentence is she facing and what happens when someone enters Victoria's prison system for a very long time?
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What does life imprisonment really mean?
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Let's break it down Now.
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Convicted Patterson faces the reality of a life sentence, and her first nights in prison as a guilty woman may have already left their mark.
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The Sydney Morning Herald said Sources described her as appearing shocked and drained, clearly struggling to adjust to the harsh new chapter that's begun.
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Ms Patterson is being held in the Danefellas Frost Centre.
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It's quite a notorious prison, actually, and it's a maximum security facility in Melbourne.
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She's been housed in protective isolation since her arrest in late 2023, not due to violence, but due to protect her from others and perhaps herself.
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Despite not being physically aggressive, patterson has frustrated other inmates and prison officers with her constant complaints.
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One former staff member recalled her frequently demanding changes to her cell temperature, as though it's the Hilton.
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She seemed completely oblivious to the environment.
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She was now in Quote.
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It's not a hotel.
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Yes, she hadn't been convicted at that point, but it's still a prison, they told the SMH Quote.
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It's not meant to be customised for your comfort.
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The report said that inside prison she was targeted with frequent mocking, especially during early custody when other inmates regularly hurled mushroom-related insults her way.
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According to the SMH, attempts to participate in prison activities like a knitting club, and that's under strict supervision.
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Obviously they were short-lived.
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She was later returned to stricter isolation, prompting speculation about an altercation or misconduct, though nothing had been confirmed.
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Her only visible support during the trial came from her online acquaintance, ali Rose Pryor, who she met through the True Crime Facebook group.
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No one from her hometown personal life, any family members, appeared in court on her behalf.
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I think that's fairy telling, just in my opinion, even if her closest circle appears to have existed more online than in person.
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Now, during the trial in Morwell on weekends, she was transported back and forth from Dame Phyllis Frost every weekend, but she was staying in local holding cells with minimal amenities during the week.
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Now she became really frustrated with her lack of access to legal documents and her bedding.
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Ms Patterson's complaints became a feature of the proceedings at the start, but now she's awaiting sentencing, and Erin Patterson's future will likely involve extended periods where there's minimal human contact and little hope for relief.
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For someone described as quiet, bright and introverted, life may be proving.
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For someone described as quiet, bright and introverted, life in prison may prove the ultimate punishment one without an end.
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Now I just want to go through life imprisonment in Victoria.
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I've been doing some research and in that state, a life sentence means just that the offender remains in prison for the rest of their natural life.
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Only the Supreme Court can hand down a life decision, and Erin her trial was in the Supreme Court, so she does face that.
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While the court can set a non-parole period, a minimum time before the offender is eligible for parole, it's under no obligation to do so.
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In cases deemed especially serious, the court may refuse to set a parole period altogether.
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That means the person stays in prison until they die.
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Now there's Category 1 and 2 offences.
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Since 2017, victoria's courts have categorised certain crimes under two tiers Category 1 and Category 2.
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Now Category 1 includes the most serious crime, so murders, at the top of the list, and others like SA, indecent acts on a child and aggravated home invasion.
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For Category 1 offences, the court must sentence the person to a term of imprisonment.
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There are no exceptions unless the offender is mentally impaired, has assisted police or there are other exceptional and rare circumstances.
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In the case of Patterson, found guilty of murder, the court has almost no discretion she must go to prison.
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Let's say, after the guilty verdict is handed down and Aaron Patterson is sentenced to prison, what happens next?
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Well, we should look inside the walls of Australia's prisons to explore what it takes to survive mentally and physically behind bars, and some of these insights come from a website called Ausprisons, and it's a first-hand guide by an ex-inmate, jackson A, who provides a ground level view of the Australian prison experience.
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Now, I went looking for this information because my friend Jen and I we had a podcast together about Jeffrey Epstein, but before that we were thinking of doing one.
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I don't know if you heard about it.
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In California, these parents were paying to get their kids into university, and a lot of them were celebrities.
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So there was a woman who was on Desperate Housewives and Auntie Becky from Full House.
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So they ended up having to do prison and they hired prison consultants.
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So I was thinking, well, erin's got plenty of money.
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I wonder if she's had a prison consultant.
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But we don't really have that in Australia, so there's a gap in a market there for sure if someone wants to start a business.
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But Jackson A was as close as I came to firsthand information.
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Now the first reality is after you're found guilty.
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You arrive under intense scrutiny and, believe it or not, this process is routine and it is a stark change, although I think Erin's been through it before.
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Now you need to stay safe on the inside and he said if you act like a decent human being, you shouldn't find yourself in too much trouble.
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Respect others, avoid gossips or fights and don't overshare personal information Coping mentally.
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So he said that mental resilience is absolutely critical.
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Stay physically active, go to the gym if you can, keep your mind octopied with reading, writing and learning new skills, and hold on to connections with families.
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Calls, letters and visits Help maintain your mental well-being.
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So the author, an ex-inmate with time in New South Wales prisons reassures that while our jails can be rough and there are fights and stabbings, random or unprovoked attacks are uncommon.
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So get your notebook out.
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This is how you stay safe.
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Don't act tough in prison, so avoid initiating fights or challenging the established pecking order.
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Be respectful, show basic courtesy to fellow inmates.
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Empathy goes a long way.
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Avoid owing money or drugs.
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Depths, especially for contraband, lead to conflicts and endangerment.
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I should do that again.
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Avoid owing money or drugs.
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That's self-explanatory, isn't it?
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Make friends but avoid snitching Allies.
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Offer protection and companionship.
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Being labelled a dog so that's if you dob is dangerous.
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Be smart around phones and privacy.
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Learn jail-specific etiquette, like queuing properly for phones and not invading other space.
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And avoid protective custody unless absolutely necessary.
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Known as the boneyard, it often houses sex offenders.
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Claim claiming fear without cause can lead to isolation with suspicion.
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So usually conflict stems from debts, drugs, theft or disrespect, not random aggression.
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From the author's experience, he said he never experienced direct threats when he followed the guidelines.
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Safety is largely a result of common sense, respect and avoiding conflicts.
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So that is fascinating, isn't it?
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And he said steer clear of that unnecessary isolation.
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So when you first go in and they say to you do you have any fears for your safety.
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He said that don't say yes unless you really are worried, and he said a lot of the time that's for SA offenders.
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So another thing that's happened and this was from the SMH article as well parasocial supporters.
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Now they're people who identify with the case very strongly and obsessives.
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According to the SMH, they're gathering online, like many figures central to a sensational crime.
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Patterson would begin receiving love letters inside prison.
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Others showed up for the trial itself just to gawk at her from a distance.
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Now you may think that love letters is a stretch, but no.
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On my YouTube channel for the Mushroom Murder Trial podcast, I, three weeks ago, got this message and I thought it was just someone I don't know trolling me or trying to get attention, but maybe not.
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It said, many are closely following this case, drawn in by its salacious twists a beautiful woman, a deadly scheme and a near-perfect escape.
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It has all the makings of a modern-day femme fatale story.
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Femme fatale story, hmm.
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So if we understand Erin's potential future in prison and if she's incarcerated for life, it's going to be really difficult for her.
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It's going to be challenging, rigid and emotionally taxing.
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But that's my quick briefing on prison survival in Australia, from preparation to psychological endurance, and because Erin is likely on the inside, this is the environment she will stay in.
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So thanks for listening today.
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For more information, visit my website, mushroommurdertrialcom.
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Make sure you subscribe to my newsletter there as well.
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Plus, I'm on Instagram All my social media.
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They're down the bottom in the show notes so you can click on there if you'd like to engage, and I'd like to also welcome everyone who's come this way from YouTube.
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Dead set Leshet.
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I would like to thank everyone who's come this way via YouTube Welcome.
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Thank you so much for joining us.
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Now I'll also put links in the show notes to all my social media accounts and if you feel like rewarding me for the thousands of hours I've spent on this work, you can buy me a coffee for a one-off $5 as a thank you.
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The link is in the show notes, but only if you can afford it.
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The greatest honour is your time, because we're all so busy these days.
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Also, this week, I have one of the authors of the upcoming Aaron Patterson books coming out, duncan McNabb.
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I just have to work out what day it is.
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I have to negotiate studio time and things, so that is exciting.
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He's on Instagram as well, if you want to see the kind of work he's done, roger Rogerson.
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He's done a book on him, fascinating guy.
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So he's been following Erin from the start and he's got a book coming out very, very soon.
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So stay tuned as we continue to explore every angle of this case, from the courtroom to Erin's life.
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My name's Lisa and thank you for listening to the Mushroom Murder Trial podcast.
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Thanks, bye.
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