Who killed Sydney heiress Juanita Nielsen? ‘Mr Sin' points finger from the grave
The only time he did speak was at an impromptu press conference after he'd
been named in the South Australian parliament as 'Mr Sin' – a major figure in Australian organised crime. It was a tag he hated and, along with the accusations against him, vehemently denied.
At the 1983 inquest into the disappearance of Juanita Nielsen, he essentially
said he knew nothing. But now, almost 20 years after his death, he has 'spoken from the grave' and named the man behind her murder: his one-time business associate James McCartney Anderson.
It seems the confines of Parliament House, Canberra, loosened his tongue.
It was there on a late Spring day in 1992 that he was ushered into a first-floor
committee room for a secret meeting with the joint committee on the National Crime Authority.
The committee's hearings had been sparked by an article in the Herald
published in November 1990 that questioned why the NCA had used
Anderson as an informant in a tax evasion case against Saffron but had
turned a blind eye to evidence about his role in the murder of Nielsen.
The explosive claims Saffron made that day have remained hidden behind
federal parliamentary rules for the past 33 years, but the Herald believes
that on the 50th anniversary of Nielsen's murder there is clear public interest in the evidence that Saffron, and then Anderson, gave before the committee
being revealed.
Under questioning by committee members – perhaps fascinated to be sharing a room with someone with such a scandalous reputation – Saffron zeroed in on Anderson and Victoria Street property developer, Frank Theeman. Saffron said Theeman had paid Anderson $25,000 to have Nielsen killed. And then, in the years that followed, Anderson blackmailed the developer for more money.
Asked about Nielsen's activities, Saffron told the committee: 'I knew nothing of her existence until her disappearance. Nothing at all.
'I did not know that she had a newspaper even, until I read it in the paper.'
Evidence at the 1983 Nielsen inquest pointed to Anderson ordering Eddie Trigg, the night manager of the Carousel Cabaret in Kings Cross, to lure Nielsen to the club, where she was killed.
Saffron said that after her disappearance on July 4, he had quizzed Anderson about her visit to the Carousel. 'I said 'what's going on?'
'He said 'everything is in order. She came up just on normal business'.'
Saffron told the committee he was 'an acquaintance' of developer Frank Theeman, having met him at the Hakoah Club in Bondi. Anderson, on the other hand, was 'very close with him'. Theeman's proposal to demolish historic terraces and build high-rise units in Victoria Street had been vigorously opposed by Nielsen.
Saffron said that at one point Theeman had approached him, pleading for help. He wanted $25,000 in cash. Theeman had said: 'I have given a cheque to Jim Anderson for $25,000. It is important I get it back and I do not have the cash.'
According to Saffron, Theeman had been 'quite agitated'. Saffron said he refused his friend's plea, saying he didn't have that sort of money lying about at home and adding: 'I do not want to get involved, Frank, in such a transaction.'
Asked the purpose of the $25,000 payment to Jim Anderson, Saffron told the parliamentary committee: 'My personal opinion now is that it was to do with her disappearance. I think there is absolutely no doubt he was paid to get rid of Juanita Nielsen.'
Saffron added that Jim Anderson was also involved in the 1973 kidnapping of Victoria Street resident and activist Arthur King. 'There is no doubt in my mind that he was involved in that.'
King survived the harrowing three-day ordeal but immediately left the street.
Asked if he believed Nielsen's death was intentional, Saffron said: 'In my mind, no doubt – no doubt at all that that was the intention.
'There was some talk among the talkative people in Kings Cross that Anderson had arranged this disappearance and that it was because of the problems that Theeman was experiencing in Kings Cross with his development. There was some basis for that thought.'
Appearing at the same hearing, Saffron's solicitor, Peter Wise, said he told Saffron he could not imagine Frank Theeman wanting Nielsen deliberately killed. But Saffron had been definite and told him: 'No, he did not want her just out of the way or frightened. He wanted her killed.'
Saffron said Theeman had complained to him that he was being blackmailed, saying: 'I have given him [Anderson] so much money.'
Saffron replied: 'Well, it is your business if you have given him money, Frank. That is nothing to do with me.'
Theeman had responded: 'Well, I cannot afford any problem about the Juanita Nielsen disappearance.'
Saffron's evidence needs to be seen against his bitter falling-out with Anderson, who the National Crime Authority had used to mount a case of tax evasion against him.
With Anderson giving evidence in the 1987 trial, Saffron was convicted of using two sets of books for his Kings Cross nightclubs and restaurants between 1969 and 1981 to defraud the Commonwealth of $1.5 million in taxes. While he strongly denied the case against him, he was sentenced to three years jail. In a moment of reflection, he shared his thoughts about his one-time business associate with the committee: 'It was a sad day that I ever met him.'
On December 21, 1992, it was the turn of Anderson to give his side of the story. Perhaps somewhat theatrically, he was accompanied by a bodyguard as he entered federal parliament. Not surprisingly, he denied having anything to do with Nielsen's murder. He also said he was 'a little bit miffed' about reports 'that I tried to blackmail Frank Theeman because of the Juanita Nielsen incident'.
'I am categorically telling you that at no stage was I ever involved in anything to do with Juanita Nielsen. Allegations have been made and continue to be that I am the person that murdered her, but I somehow managed to manipulate and craft an alibi. I never needed an alibi because I had nothing to do with it.'
He asserted that it was 'implausible' that Frank Theeman was behind the murder because 'the building was up, his apartment was up'.
Members of the parliamentary committee reminded him that this was incorrect as the development was stalled and costing Theeman $3000 a day in interest payments.
Anderson was adamant: 'I do not believe that Victoria Street had anything to do with Juanita Nielsen's disappearance or death, if she is dead. I would assume that she is dead, pretty confidently, after this length of time.'
Anderson said that to his knowledge, Frank Theeman and Abe Saffron had no financial connections or business dealings in property.
He then changed the focus of his testimony, alleging that a corrupt former NSW police officer, Fred Krahe, who had worked for Theeman, was Nielsen's killer because, implausibly, 'she had to have fallen over something that either he was directly involved in or he represented the people who were involved in it'.
Anderson recalled that after Nielsen disappeared, he had a conversation with Saffron, who was 'as emotional as I have ever seen him'.
Saffron had said: 'This is terrible. People are saying it is me.' Anderson said he replied, 'well, if it's not you, you've got nothing to worry about, have you?'
Loading
Anderson told the committee that relations between him and Saffron had turned sour in the late 1970s. Reflecting on the animosity that marked the breakdown, Anderson speculated to the committee that 'Abe Saffron hasn't got the balls to kill me, but he would have me killed.
He then boasted: 'To be perfectly truthful, if I wanted to kill Abe Saffron, I could kill him. It sounds a bit cold-blooded and self-effacing to say I could have killed Abe Saffron any time I wanted.
'Normal people do not say that. So-called sensible people certainly would not say it in front of a committee like this. I would do it to him personally. The last thing he would see would be me smiling at him.'
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
The Advertiser
32 minutes ago
- The Advertiser
Why Australia became so obsessed with the Erin Patterson mushroom case
The "mushroom murder trial", as it has popularly become known, has gripped Australia over the past 11 weeks. More than that, it's prompted worldwide headlines, multiple daily podcasts, and even YouTube videos of self-proclaimed "body language experts" assessing defendant Erin Patterson's every move. There's an ABC drama series in the works. Acclaimed Australian author Helen Garner has been in the courtroom. But why did this tragedy, in which three people died and a fourth was lucky to survive, grip the public consciousness in way no other contemporary Australian case has? On July 29 2023, in a sleepy town called Leongatha in the foothills of the Strzelecki Ranges in Victoria, a very normal woman called Erin Patterson made an ostensibly very normal lunch of beef Wellington. She was cooking for her in-laws, Gail and Don Patterson, Gail's sister Heather Wilkinson, and Heather's husband Ian. Erin's estranged husband, Simon Patterson, was also invited, but chose not to attend. Simon and Erin had two children, a boy and a girl, who did not attend the lunch either. Shortly after the lunch, all four guests were admitted to hospital with suspected gastroenteritis. Erin Patterson also presented to hospital, but refused to be admitted. Within a few days, Gail, Don, and Heather all died as a result of what was later confirmed as poisoning with Amanita phalloides, better known as death cap mushrooms. Ian survived, but he was lucky. He spent seven weeks in hospital and needed a liver transplant. The questions became, how did the mushrooms get into the beef Wellington? Was this an awful accident or something more sinister? These questions became the focus of very significant public and media attention. Erin Patterson spoke to the media in the days after the incident. She presented as your typical, average woman of 50. That is, in my opinion, where the obsession with this case began. This case had the feel of a Shakespearean drama: multiple deaths within one family, death by poison, and a female protagonist. The juxtaposition between the normality of a family lunch (and the sheer vanilla-ness of the accused) and the seriousness of the situation sent the media into overdrive. Then there were the lies. Patterson lied about foraging for mushrooms, and about having cancer to encourage the guests to attend. The location also played a huge part. Leongatha is known for its staggering natural beauty and thriving food and wine scene. It's hardly a place where the world expected a mass murderer to live. However, the perception that rural areas are utopias of safety and social cohesion, and cities are dark and dangerous places, is a myth. One study by the Australian Institute of Health and Welfare paints a different picture. For serious assault cases that resulted in hospitalisation, for major cities the rates were 65 per 100,000 people. In rural areas, this rose to 1244 people per 100,000. And for murder, in very remote areas the rate was five per 100,000 population, but fewer than one per 100,000 in urban areas. Then there was Erin Patterson's unusual behaviour. She disposed of the desiccator in which the mushrooms she had foraged were dehydrated. She used multiple phones, one of which underwent multiple factory resets on in the days following the lunch. One of these resets was done remotely after police seized her phone. There are also the much-discussed plates. The court heard she prepared her meal on a different-coloured plate to those of her other guests so they were easily identifiable. The public latched onto these details, each providing a new talking point around water coolers or spurring new Reddit threads dedicated to unpacking their significance. Ultimately, after three months, Erin Patterson was charged with three counts of murder and one count of attempted murder. She pleaded not guilty. The trial lasted 40 days. The prosecution alleged Patterson intentionally poisoned her guests, whereas the defence suggested it was all an awful, tragic accident. The jury took six and a half days to deliberate. During that time, various media outlets did everything they could to keep the story on the front page. Bizarre pieces began appearing online from credible sources such as the ABC, profiling people who had attended court. They included stories of people turning down work to attend the court daily, cases of friendships blossoming during the trial between regular attendees, and the outfit choices of locals turning up every day to watch the drama unfold. There were also articles profiling local cafe owners and how they felt about being at the centre of the legal theatrics. The daily podcasts continued even when news from the courtroom didn't. The vibe felt more appropriate for a royal visit than a triple murder trial. It seemed everyone in Australia was gripped by one event, united in a way few other things could manage. We all waited with bated breath to see what the 12 men and women of the jury would decide. The end to this strange and unique criminal case came on Monday, July 7. The result? Guilty on all four counts. Erin Patterson is formally a mass murderer, though many in the court of public opinion had reached the same conviction months earlier. Leongatha will always be known for being the setting of (arguably) the most infamous multiple murder case in Australian history. It will join Snowtown in South Australia (home of the "bodies in the barrell" murder case), Kendall in NSW (where William Tyrrell disappeared), and Claremont in Western Australia (the murder or disappearance of three women) as places forever linked to tragic crimes. While the trial is over, there's much more content still to come, the public's appetite yet to be satiated. But the final word should be saved for the Patterson and Wilkinson families. This is an awful tragedy, and there are no winners. Ian and Simon have lost loved ones. The Patterson children have lost grandparents and now have to come to terms with the fact their mother caused those deaths intentionally. Amid the spectacle, it's easy to lose sight of the humanity at the centre. As the media spotlight dims, may the families get the privacy and respect they deserve. The "mushroom murder trial", as it has popularly become known, has gripped Australia over the past 11 weeks. More than that, it's prompted worldwide headlines, multiple daily podcasts, and even YouTube videos of self-proclaimed "body language experts" assessing defendant Erin Patterson's every move. There's an ABC drama series in the works. Acclaimed Australian author Helen Garner has been in the courtroom. But why did this tragedy, in which three people died and a fourth was lucky to survive, grip the public consciousness in way no other contemporary Australian case has? On July 29 2023, in a sleepy town called Leongatha in the foothills of the Strzelecki Ranges in Victoria, a very normal woman called Erin Patterson made an ostensibly very normal lunch of beef Wellington. She was cooking for her in-laws, Gail and Don Patterson, Gail's sister Heather Wilkinson, and Heather's husband Ian. Erin's estranged husband, Simon Patterson, was also invited, but chose not to attend. Simon and Erin had two children, a boy and a girl, who did not attend the lunch either. Shortly after the lunch, all four guests were admitted to hospital with suspected gastroenteritis. Erin Patterson also presented to hospital, but refused to be admitted. Within a few days, Gail, Don, and Heather all died as a result of what was later confirmed as poisoning with Amanita phalloides, better known as death cap mushrooms. Ian survived, but he was lucky. He spent seven weeks in hospital and needed a liver transplant. The questions became, how did the mushrooms get into the beef Wellington? Was this an awful accident or something more sinister? These questions became the focus of very significant public and media attention. Erin Patterson spoke to the media in the days after the incident. She presented as your typical, average woman of 50. That is, in my opinion, where the obsession with this case began. This case had the feel of a Shakespearean drama: multiple deaths within one family, death by poison, and a female protagonist. The juxtaposition between the normality of a family lunch (and the sheer vanilla-ness of the accused) and the seriousness of the situation sent the media into overdrive. Then there were the lies. Patterson lied about foraging for mushrooms, and about having cancer to encourage the guests to attend. The location also played a huge part. Leongatha is known for its staggering natural beauty and thriving food and wine scene. It's hardly a place where the world expected a mass murderer to live. However, the perception that rural areas are utopias of safety and social cohesion, and cities are dark and dangerous places, is a myth. One study by the Australian Institute of Health and Welfare paints a different picture. For serious assault cases that resulted in hospitalisation, for major cities the rates were 65 per 100,000 people. In rural areas, this rose to 1244 people per 100,000. And for murder, in very remote areas the rate was five per 100,000 population, but fewer than one per 100,000 in urban areas. Then there was Erin Patterson's unusual behaviour. She disposed of the desiccator in which the mushrooms she had foraged were dehydrated. She used multiple phones, one of which underwent multiple factory resets on in the days following the lunch. One of these resets was done remotely after police seized her phone. There are also the much-discussed plates. The court heard she prepared her meal on a different-coloured plate to those of her other guests so they were easily identifiable. The public latched onto these details, each providing a new talking point around water coolers or spurring new Reddit threads dedicated to unpacking their significance. Ultimately, after three months, Erin Patterson was charged with three counts of murder and one count of attempted murder. She pleaded not guilty. The trial lasted 40 days. The prosecution alleged Patterson intentionally poisoned her guests, whereas the defence suggested it was all an awful, tragic accident. The jury took six and a half days to deliberate. During that time, various media outlets did everything they could to keep the story on the front page. Bizarre pieces began appearing online from credible sources such as the ABC, profiling people who had attended court. They included stories of people turning down work to attend the court daily, cases of friendships blossoming during the trial between regular attendees, and the outfit choices of locals turning up every day to watch the drama unfold. There were also articles profiling local cafe owners and how they felt about being at the centre of the legal theatrics. The daily podcasts continued even when news from the courtroom didn't. The vibe felt more appropriate for a royal visit than a triple murder trial. It seemed everyone in Australia was gripped by one event, united in a way few other things could manage. We all waited with bated breath to see what the 12 men and women of the jury would decide. The end to this strange and unique criminal case came on Monday, July 7. The result? Guilty on all four counts. Erin Patterson is formally a mass murderer, though many in the court of public opinion had reached the same conviction months earlier. Leongatha will always be known for being the setting of (arguably) the most infamous multiple murder case in Australian history. It will join Snowtown in South Australia (home of the "bodies in the barrell" murder case), Kendall in NSW (where William Tyrrell disappeared), and Claremont in Western Australia (the murder or disappearance of three women) as places forever linked to tragic crimes. While the trial is over, there's much more content still to come, the public's appetite yet to be satiated. But the final word should be saved for the Patterson and Wilkinson families. This is an awful tragedy, and there are no winners. Ian and Simon have lost loved ones. The Patterson children have lost grandparents and now have to come to terms with the fact their mother caused those deaths intentionally. Amid the spectacle, it's easy to lose sight of the humanity at the centre. As the media spotlight dims, may the families get the privacy and respect they deserve. The "mushroom murder trial", as it has popularly become known, has gripped Australia over the past 11 weeks. More than that, it's prompted worldwide headlines, multiple daily podcasts, and even YouTube videos of self-proclaimed "body language experts" assessing defendant Erin Patterson's every move. There's an ABC drama series in the works. Acclaimed Australian author Helen Garner has been in the courtroom. But why did this tragedy, in which three people died and a fourth was lucky to survive, grip the public consciousness in way no other contemporary Australian case has? On July 29 2023, in a sleepy town called Leongatha in the foothills of the Strzelecki Ranges in Victoria, a very normal woman called Erin Patterson made an ostensibly very normal lunch of beef Wellington. She was cooking for her in-laws, Gail and Don Patterson, Gail's sister Heather Wilkinson, and Heather's husband Ian. Erin's estranged husband, Simon Patterson, was also invited, but chose not to attend. Simon and Erin had two children, a boy and a girl, who did not attend the lunch either. Shortly after the lunch, all four guests were admitted to hospital with suspected gastroenteritis. Erin Patterson also presented to hospital, but refused to be admitted. Within a few days, Gail, Don, and Heather all died as a result of what was later confirmed as poisoning with Amanita phalloides, better known as death cap mushrooms. Ian survived, but he was lucky. He spent seven weeks in hospital and needed a liver transplant. The questions became, how did the mushrooms get into the beef Wellington? Was this an awful accident or something more sinister? These questions became the focus of very significant public and media attention. Erin Patterson spoke to the media in the days after the incident. She presented as your typical, average woman of 50. That is, in my opinion, where the obsession with this case began. This case had the feel of a Shakespearean drama: multiple deaths within one family, death by poison, and a female protagonist. The juxtaposition between the normality of a family lunch (and the sheer vanilla-ness of the accused) and the seriousness of the situation sent the media into overdrive. Then there were the lies. Patterson lied about foraging for mushrooms, and about having cancer to encourage the guests to attend. The location also played a huge part. Leongatha is known for its staggering natural beauty and thriving food and wine scene. It's hardly a place where the world expected a mass murderer to live. However, the perception that rural areas are utopias of safety and social cohesion, and cities are dark and dangerous places, is a myth. One study by the Australian Institute of Health and Welfare paints a different picture. For serious assault cases that resulted in hospitalisation, for major cities the rates were 65 per 100,000 people. In rural areas, this rose to 1244 people per 100,000. And for murder, in very remote areas the rate was five per 100,000 population, but fewer than one per 100,000 in urban areas. Then there was Erin Patterson's unusual behaviour. She disposed of the desiccator in which the mushrooms she had foraged were dehydrated. She used multiple phones, one of which underwent multiple factory resets on in the days following the lunch. One of these resets was done remotely after police seized her phone. There are also the much-discussed plates. The court heard she prepared her meal on a different-coloured plate to those of her other guests so they were easily identifiable. The public latched onto these details, each providing a new talking point around water coolers or spurring new Reddit threads dedicated to unpacking their significance. Ultimately, after three months, Erin Patterson was charged with three counts of murder and one count of attempted murder. She pleaded not guilty. The trial lasted 40 days. The prosecution alleged Patterson intentionally poisoned her guests, whereas the defence suggested it was all an awful, tragic accident. The jury took six and a half days to deliberate. During that time, various media outlets did everything they could to keep the story on the front page. Bizarre pieces began appearing online from credible sources such as the ABC, profiling people who had attended court. They included stories of people turning down work to attend the court daily, cases of friendships blossoming during the trial between regular attendees, and the outfit choices of locals turning up every day to watch the drama unfold. There were also articles profiling local cafe owners and how they felt about being at the centre of the legal theatrics. The daily podcasts continued even when news from the courtroom didn't. The vibe felt more appropriate for a royal visit than a triple murder trial. It seemed everyone in Australia was gripped by one event, united in a way few other things could manage. We all waited with bated breath to see what the 12 men and women of the jury would decide. The end to this strange and unique criminal case came on Monday, July 7. The result? Guilty on all four counts. Erin Patterson is formally a mass murderer, though many in the court of public opinion had reached the same conviction months earlier. Leongatha will always be known for being the setting of (arguably) the most infamous multiple murder case in Australian history. It will join Snowtown in South Australia (home of the "bodies in the barrell" murder case), Kendall in NSW (where William Tyrrell disappeared), and Claremont in Western Australia (the murder or disappearance of three women) as places forever linked to tragic crimes. While the trial is over, there's much more content still to come, the public's appetite yet to be satiated. But the final word should be saved for the Patterson and Wilkinson families. This is an awful tragedy, and there are no winners. Ian and Simon have lost loved ones. The Patterson children have lost grandparents and now have to come to terms with the fact their mother caused those deaths intentionally. Amid the spectacle, it's easy to lose sight of the humanity at the centre. As the media spotlight dims, may the families get the privacy and respect they deserve. The "mushroom murder trial", as it has popularly become known, has gripped Australia over the past 11 weeks. More than that, it's prompted worldwide headlines, multiple daily podcasts, and even YouTube videos of self-proclaimed "body language experts" assessing defendant Erin Patterson's every move. There's an ABC drama series in the works. Acclaimed Australian author Helen Garner has been in the courtroom. But why did this tragedy, in which three people died and a fourth was lucky to survive, grip the public consciousness in way no other contemporary Australian case has? On July 29 2023, in a sleepy town called Leongatha in the foothills of the Strzelecki Ranges in Victoria, a very normal woman called Erin Patterson made an ostensibly very normal lunch of beef Wellington. She was cooking for her in-laws, Gail and Don Patterson, Gail's sister Heather Wilkinson, and Heather's husband Ian. Erin's estranged husband, Simon Patterson, was also invited, but chose not to attend. Simon and Erin had two children, a boy and a girl, who did not attend the lunch either. Shortly after the lunch, all four guests were admitted to hospital with suspected gastroenteritis. Erin Patterson also presented to hospital, but refused to be admitted. Within a few days, Gail, Don, and Heather all died as a result of what was later confirmed as poisoning with Amanita phalloides, better known as death cap mushrooms. Ian survived, but he was lucky. He spent seven weeks in hospital and needed a liver transplant. The questions became, how did the mushrooms get into the beef Wellington? Was this an awful accident or something more sinister? These questions became the focus of very significant public and media attention. Erin Patterson spoke to the media in the days after the incident. She presented as your typical, average woman of 50. That is, in my opinion, where the obsession with this case began. This case had the feel of a Shakespearean drama: multiple deaths within one family, death by poison, and a female protagonist. The juxtaposition between the normality of a family lunch (and the sheer vanilla-ness of the accused) and the seriousness of the situation sent the media into overdrive. Then there were the lies. Patterson lied about foraging for mushrooms, and about having cancer to encourage the guests to attend. The location also played a huge part. Leongatha is known for its staggering natural beauty and thriving food and wine scene. It's hardly a place where the world expected a mass murderer to live. However, the perception that rural areas are utopias of safety and social cohesion, and cities are dark and dangerous places, is a myth. One study by the Australian Institute of Health and Welfare paints a different picture. For serious assault cases that resulted in hospitalisation, for major cities the rates were 65 per 100,000 people. In rural areas, this rose to 1244 people per 100,000. And for murder, in very remote areas the rate was five per 100,000 population, but fewer than one per 100,000 in urban areas. Then there was Erin Patterson's unusual behaviour. She disposed of the desiccator in which the mushrooms she had foraged were dehydrated. She used multiple phones, one of which underwent multiple factory resets on in the days following the lunch. One of these resets was done remotely after police seized her phone. There are also the much-discussed plates. The court heard she prepared her meal on a different-coloured plate to those of her other guests so they were easily identifiable. The public latched onto these details, each providing a new talking point around water coolers or spurring new Reddit threads dedicated to unpacking their significance. Ultimately, after three months, Erin Patterson was charged with three counts of murder and one count of attempted murder. She pleaded not guilty. The trial lasted 40 days. The prosecution alleged Patterson intentionally poisoned her guests, whereas the defence suggested it was all an awful, tragic accident. The jury took six and a half days to deliberate. During that time, various media outlets did everything they could to keep the story on the front page. Bizarre pieces began appearing online from credible sources such as the ABC, profiling people who had attended court. They included stories of people turning down work to attend the court daily, cases of friendships blossoming during the trial between regular attendees, and the outfit choices of locals turning up every day to watch the drama unfold. There were also articles profiling local cafe owners and how they felt about being at the centre of the legal theatrics. The daily podcasts continued even when news from the courtroom didn't. The vibe felt more appropriate for a royal visit than a triple murder trial. It seemed everyone in Australia was gripped by one event, united in a way few other things could manage. We all waited with bated breath to see what the 12 men and women of the jury would decide. The end to this strange and unique criminal case came on Monday, July 7. The result? Guilty on all four counts. Erin Patterson is formally a mass murderer, though many in the court of public opinion had reached the same conviction months earlier. Leongatha will always be known for being the setting of (arguably) the most infamous multiple murder case in Australian history. It will join Snowtown in South Australia (home of the "bodies in the barrell" murder case), Kendall in NSW (where William Tyrrell disappeared), and Claremont in Western Australia (the murder or disappearance of three women) as places forever linked to tragic crimes. While the trial is over, there's much more content still to come, the public's appetite yet to be satiated. But the final word should be saved for the Patterson and Wilkinson families. This is an awful tragedy, and there are no winners. Ian and Simon have lost loved ones. The Patterson children have lost grandparents and now have to come to terms with the fact their mother caused those deaths intentionally. Amid the spectacle, it's easy to lose sight of the humanity at the centre. As the media spotlight dims, may the families get the privacy and respect they deserve.
Perth Now
3 hours ago
- Perth Now
Aus marks 20 years since deadly bombings
Australia has marked the 20th anniversary of the horrific 7/7 bombings in London, in which one Australian was killed and eight others injured. On July 7, 2005, four suicide bombers targeted the UK capital's transport network. Three of the bombers detonated at three stations in the London Underground, while the fourth detonated on a bus. They killed 52 and left more than 770 injured. It has been 20 years since four suicide bombers targeted London's transport network. Metropolitan Police / WPA Pool / AFP Credit: News Limited Fifty-two people were killed and more than 770 injured. AFP Credit: News Limited Australian man Sam Ly was on the bus that was attacked. He was pulled from the wreckage but his injuries were too severe and he died a week later. Australian officials laid flowers at the 7 July Memorial Gardens to mark the tragic anniversary. Australian High Commissioner to the UK Stephen Francis Smith joined other officials in laying wreaths at the 7 July Memorial Gardens. Australian High Commission / NewsWire Credit: Supplied Australian man Sam Ly was killed in the bombings. Australian High Commission / NewsWire Credit: Supplied '20 years ago today, London experienced unimaginable horror,' the High Commission posted on social media. 'The 7 July 2005 London transport bombings killed 52 people and injured more than 700 others. 'Australians were not spared from the terror that morning.'
West Australian
3 hours ago
- West Australian
Australia marks 20 years since deadly 7/7 bombings in London
Australia has marked the 20th anniversary of the horrific 7/7 bombings in London, in which one Australian was killed and eight others injured. On July 7, 2005, four suicide bombers targeted the UK capital's transport network. Three of the bombers detonated at three stations in the London Underground, while the fourth detonated on a bus. They killed 52 and left more than 770 injured. It has been 20 years since four suicide bombers targeted London's transport network. Metropolitan Police / WPA Pool / AFP Credit: News Limited Fifty-two people were killed and more than 770 injured. AFP Credit: News Limited Australian man Sam Ly was on the bus that was attacked. He was pulled from the wreckage but his injuries were too severe and he died a week later. Australian officials laid flowers at the 7 July Memorial Gardens to mark the tragic anniversary. Australian High Commissioner to the UK Stephen Francis Smith joined other officials in laying wreaths at the 7 July Memorial Gardens. Australian High Commission / NewsWire Credit: Supplied Australian man Sam Ly was killed in the bombings. Australian High Commission / NewsWire Credit: Supplied '20 years ago today, London experienced unimaginable horror,' the High Commission posted on social media. 'The 7 July 2005 London transport bombings killed 52 people and injured more than 700 others. 'Australians were not spared from the terror that morning.'
