A 53-year-old woman, Deanne Mathews, has pleaded guilty to trafficking psilocybin, commonly known as magic mushrooms, at a spiritual retreat where a participant tragically died. Mathews was fined $3000 by the Bacchus Marsh Magistrates Court but was not convicted of any offence, allowing her to leave the court a free woman.
Mathews, a spiritual healer, was accused of supplying magic mushrooms to attendees who each paid $500 to join her retreat in Clunes, near Ballarat. The retreat took place on April 13, 2024, and involved participants drinking a tea made from the mushrooms, which were weighed, ground, and prepared by Mathews herself. Senior Constable Kerrie-Ann Moroney highlighted in court that the consumption of the tea was voluntary, with no pressure placed on participants to partake.
While Mathews was charged with drug trafficking, police found no direct evidence linking her actions to the death of a participant, identified as Ms. Dixon. Mathews’ defence attorney, Jon Ross, argued for leniency due to the trauma Mathews experienced following the incident and highlighted that she has since ceased using magic mushrooms in her practice. Ross described the event as something that would haunt Mathews for the rest of her life and mentioned that she was the one who called for emergency assistance and performed CPR on Ms. Dixon in her final moments.
Ross further noted the absence of evidence connecting the retreat to Dixon’s death, which influenced the nature of the charges filed against Mathews. He expressed that Mathews intended to use psilocybin to aid healing both for herself and others, though he acknowledged she recognised her serious misjudgment in doing so. There was also a mention of clinical evidence suggesting that psilocybin can be effective for certain mental health conditions, such as depression and anxiety, though it constituted a minor aspect of Mathews’ overall therapeutic approach.
Magistrate Julia Barling, while imposing the fine, explicitly indicated that Mathews was not being charged with any wrongdoing related to the participant’s death. She underscored the increasing prevalence of similar events and stated the importance of sending a clear message that such activities are illegal and unacceptable within the community.
In conclusion, Mathews has been held accountable for her actions through a financial penalty, yet remains free from a criminal conviction despite the serious nature of the incident at her retreat.