Australian Triple Murderer Accused of Tampering with Prison Food

Erin Patterson, a convicted triple-murderer and infamous mushroom cook, is accused of tampering with prison food at Melbourne's Dame Phyllis Frost Centre. The allegations, brought by a fellow inmate, claim that Patterson's actions made the inmate sick. Patterson's legal team has dismissed the claims as "baseless".

Erin Patterson, a convicted triple-murderer and infamous mushroom cook, is facing new allegations of tampering with prison food at Melbourne's Dame Phyllis Frost Centre. The claims, brought by a fellow inmate, allege that Patterson's actions made the inmate sick. Patterson's legal team has dismissed the allegations as "baseless".

The allegations were made public after Patterson was found guilty of three counts of murder and one of attempted murder by a Victorian Supreme Court jury. Patterson, 50, was found guilty of serving poisonous death cap mushrooms to her estranged husband's family, including his parents and sister-in-law, in a beef Wellington lunch. She faces a likely sentence of life in prison.

The inmate who made the allegation claimed that Patterson tampered with prison food, causing them to fall ill. However, a Corrections Victoria source confirmed that Patterson had been given a job in the prison kitchen despite the allegations against her. A spokesperson for the Department of Justice and Community Safety Victoria denied any evidence of contaminated food or suspected poisonings at Dame Phyllis Frost Centre.

Patterson's supporters have insisted that the prison poisoning allegation is baseless, while her legal team has argued that the conditions of her detention were harsh and unfair. Patterson's barrister, Colin Mandy SC, claimed that she was denied basic items and special treatment while held at Morwell Police Station.

The conditions of Patterson's detention have been a point of contention during her trial. The court heard that Patterson was placed in solitary confinement for more than 22 hours a day while prison officers investigated the incident. The claim that Patterson's actions caused another inmate to fall ill has not been substantiated, and the allegations remain unproven.

In a statement, a Justice Department spokesperson confirmed that Patterson had never been in a position to prepare meals for other prisoners. The department also stated that there is no evidence to support the claims of prison food contamination.

The allegations against Patterson come as she awaits sentencing for the triple murder. Patterson will return to court for a pre-sentence hearing later this year. The case has gripped Australia, with the trial lasting nine weeks and the verdict being delivered after six days of deliberations.

References:
[1] https://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-14881249/Erin-Patterson-accused-tampering-prison-food.html
[2] https://www.news.com.au/national/victoria/crime/mushroom-cook-erin-patterson-accused-of-tampering-with-prison-food-that-allegedly-caused-another-inmate-to-fall-ill/news-story/b96ae06b811e3b459a3e4304fcec3ffd
[3] https://www.thestar.com/news/world/australia/australian-mushroom-cook-is-convicted-of-triple-murder-after-serving-a-fatal-beef-wellington-lunch/article_0d5c8825-2ff0-5d26-8897-14d6de96d69d.html