By LIAM DURKIN

 

ERIN Patterson was back in court last Friday.

The Leongatha mushroom murderer appeared via video link in Melbourne’s Supreme Court for a mention to decide the date for her plea hearing.

The plea hearing will not be held in Morwell due to maintenance works not expected to be completed in time.

Ms Patterson was last month found guilty of murdering three of her in-laws and attempting to murder another via a beef wellington lunch laced with death cap mushrooms in 2023.

The marathon 10-week trial thrust Morwell under the global spotlight.

The accused has maintained her innocence, saying the deaths were a tragic accident.

Fresh evidence however has been released after the Supreme Court of Victoria lifted a suppression order last Friday.

The police brief of evidence contained allegations from Ms Patterson’s estranged husband, Simon Patterson that his wife tried to poison him multiple times in a similar way to the fateful lunch which he did not attend.

Mr Patterson alleges Erin tried to position him with toxic penne pasta, chicken curry and a vegetable wrap between 2021 and 2022.

This was not included in evidence during the trial, given it could have been classed as prejudicial, and therefore, not offering Ms Patterson a fair trial.

Video of Ms Patterson’s record of interview at Wonthaggi Police Station just days after the Leongatha lunch has also been also released.

In it, she lies about owning a food dehydrator or ever dehydrating food – something she conceded to the jury during her trial.

During the interview, police ask her about a manual for a Sunbeam Food Lab electronic dehydrator seized during a search through her Gibson Street, Leongatha house.

Ms Patterson did not tell police she disposed of the dehydrator at the Koonwarra tip, which was later found to have death cap mushroom residue.

The prosecution maintained she did this to cover-up the murders, while Ms Patterson argued she acted in a state of panic.

Ms Patterson is being held in the maximum security prison, Dame Phyllis Frost Centre in Melbourne’s west.

The Herald Sun has reported Ms Patterson has had repeated clashes with fellow inmates, and spent time in solitary confinement.

The plea hearing will see victim impact statements read out before sentencing.

The court heard last Friday there could be two days’ worth of victim impact statements.

Justice Christopher Beale adjourned the matter to Monday, August 25/Tuesday, August 26 in Melbourne.