By TOM HAYES
THE prosecution told the jury that accused triple-murderer Erin Patterson served her portion of the fatal beef wellington on a different coloured plate to those who fell critically ill, on Day 2 of the Supreme Court trial yesterday (April 30).
Day 2 provided counsel had the opportunity to provide background information to the jury.
CROWN prosecutor Nanette Rogers SC told the jury that Patterson invited Don and Gail Patterson, and Ian and Heather Wilkinson for lunch to discuss a cancer diagnosis she had supposedly received.
Patterson’s ex-husband Simon Patterson was invited, however declined due to being uncomfortable.
Both the prosecution and defence agreed that the cancer diagnosis did not occur.
Patterson asked her guests how she should tell her children of the diagnosis, while her children were having lunch and a movie with a friend.
When serving lunch, Patterson served her portion of the beef wellington on a smaller, orange-coloured plate to the four who fell ill, served on bigger, grey-coloured plates.
THAT evening stemming into the early hours of the following day, all four guests began to fall ill.
Don and Gail Patterson were transferred to the Korumburra Hospital. Knowing this, Simon Patterson urged Ian and Heather Wilkinson to go to hospital, driving them himself to Leongatha Hospital.
Heather Wilkinson was allegedly beginning to question Simon Patterson regarding the plate situation.
Questions about Patterson’s health began to be of question with those in hospital, after speculation of different plates was a concern.
All guests were eventually transferred to Austin Hospital for further treatment, all being admitted into intensive care and treated for death cap toxins and activated charcoal.
DURING this time, Patterson told her kids that she had symptoms of diarrhoea on July 30.
That night, the kids ate leftovers from the beef wellington lunch. The prosecution shared they ate no mushrooms due to their dislike to them.
On July 31, Simon Patterson urged Patterson to go to hospital, offering to take her. She eventually admitted herself.
The doctor recognised her surname, asking her about the meal. Patterson told the doctor she purchased the mushrooms from Woolworths.
Prosecutor Dr Rogers says Patterson denied using foraged or wild mushrooms, telling the jury that Patterson claimed half of the mushrooms were purchased from a Woolworths in Leongatha, and the other half from a Chinese grocer in the Melbourne suburb of Oakleigh.
The mushrooms were used to make a mushroom paste.
Patterson was adamant she would not stay at the hospital, while blood tests taken during one of Patterson’s hospitals visits showed she had no signs of being seriously unwell.
THE defence told the jury that Patterson had lied about a cancer diagnosis and foraging mushrooms, but was innocent of murdering three relatives with a poisoned meal.
Both the prosecution and defence agree that the mushrooms has been foraged by Patterson.
Defence lawyer Mr Colin Mandy says Patterson “panicked” when telling lies to the police regarding the foraging of mushrooms and owning a food dehydrator.
Day 1, April 29
THE Director of Public Prosecutions has dropped three charges against the alleged triple-murderer Erin Patterson, as the first day of her Supreme Court trial began in Morwell on Tuesday, April 29.
Three people died following a fatal beef wellington lunch, which allegedly contained death cap mushrooms, at Patterson’s Leongatha home in July 2023.
Don and Gail Patterson, the parents of Patterson’s ex-husband Simon Patterson, and Gail’s sister Heather Wilkinson all died from the fatal meal. Gail’s husband, Ian Wilkinson fell ill, however survived the incident.
Patterson pleaded not guilty to three counts of murder and one count of attempted murder, those charges currently still a part of her ongoing trial.
However, it was revealed yesterday that the DPP has dropped three additional attempted murder charges, relating to alleged attempts to kill Simon Patterson, Patterson’s ex-husband.
The jury was empanelled yesterday and received their instructions for the trial, which is expected to last as long as six weeks. Justice Christopher Beale notified the jury that its decision had to be unanimous.
More to come.
