Mushroom trial: Estranged husband of accused in tears as he testifies about parents' deaths

ITV News

01-05-2025

The estranged husband of an Australian woman on trial for murdering his parents and aunt with a beef Wellington laced with deadly mushrooms broke down in tears, as he gave evidence in court.
Erin Patterson, 50, is charged with murdering her former partner, Simon Patterson's parents, Don and Gail Patterson, both 70, and Gail's sister, Heather Wilkinson, 66, after a family lunch in July 2023.
She is also accused of attempting to murder Heather's husband, Ian Wilkinson, 68, who survived following a liver transplant. Patterson has pleaded not guilty to all charges.
Police say Patterson served beef wellington, mashed potatoes and green beans at her home in the rural Victorian town of Leongatha on July 29, 2023. The beef dish allegedly contained death cap mushrooms – one of the world's most toxic fungi.
On the second day of Patterson's trial in the Victoria Supreme Court on Thursday, Simon Patterson, 50, took the stand as the first witness in his estranged wife's trial.
Patterson fought back tears as he recalled seeing his father in hospital for the first time after he was admitted with vomiting and diarrhoea following the family lunch.
'He was lying on his side, hunched, quite noticeably,' he told the court.
'Speaking was an effort and his voice was strained because he obviously - his voice was strained in a way that he wasn't right inside - he was in pain."
On the first day of the trial, the court heard that Erin Patterson used different coloured plates to tell the poisoned meals apart at lunch.
Patternson's reluctance to attend the lunch, despite pressure from Erin
Patterson, who shares two children with Erin Patterson, was invited to the fatal lunch but did not attend. He had also been invited to another lunch in June, which he again skipped - though his parents went.
Prosecutors said on Wednesday that Erin Patterson falsely claimed to have ovarian cancer and asked for advice on whether to tell her children, using it as a pretext to lure her estranged husband and his family to lunch.
Text messages between the former couple, sent the day before the lunch, revealed that Patterson felt 'too uncomfortable' to attend.
Erin Patterson replied, saying 'that's really disappointing' and complained she had spent 'a small fortune' on the meat for the beef Wellington.
'Sorry, I feel too uncomfortable about coming to the lunch with you, mum, dad, Heather and Ian tomorrow. But (I) am happy to talk about your health and implications of that at another time if you'd like to discuss on the phone. Just let me know," he texted.
She replied: 'That's really disappointing.
'I have spent many hours this week preparing lunch for tomorrow which has been exhausting in light of the issues I have been facing and have spent a small fortune on beef eye fillet to make beef wellington because I wanted it to be a special meal as I may not be able to host a lunch like this again for some time.
'It's important to me that you are all there tomorrow, and that I can have the conversations that I need to have.
'I hope you'll change your mind. Your parents, Heather and Ian, are coming at 12.30, and I hope to see you there.'
Patterson did a 'mushroom taste-test' with her daughter
Patterson also told the court that Erin Patterson once said she had conducted a 'blind taste test' with their daughter by putting dehydrated mushrooms in muffins.
He recalled Erin remarking that it was 'interesting' their child preferred the muffin containing mushrooms, despite usually disliking them.
'Erin said (sometime) in he past, I'm not sure when, she'd cooked some muffins and then she had dehydrated some mushrooms and then put different amounts of mushrooms in the muffins - you know, 1 gram, 2 grams, 3 grams... Zero grams - you know, a control with no mushrooms in it," he said.
'(Then she) did sort of a blind taste test with (our daughter) - and they all found it interesting that (our daughter) actually preferred the muffin that did have some mushrooms in it.
'I can't remember if it was 1 or 2 grams, but she didn't prefer the non-mushroom muffin.'
Patterson's 'toxic' relationship with his estranged wife
Simon said the couple permanently separated in late 2015, though they are still legally married, with Patterson later telling him their relationship was 'toxic'.
Despite their rocky relationship, Erin and Simon Patterson remained hopeful of reconciliation after their separation in 2015.
Defence barrister Colin Mandy SC told the court that Erin Patterson received a significant inheritance when her mother passed away in 2019.
She used the money to buy two properties and added Simon's name to both house titles as a gesture of 'goodwill,' reflecting their openness to possibly reconciling.
Simon Patterson also testified that Erin got on particularly well with his parents.
"She got on particularly well with dad. They shared a love of knowledge and the world, and I think she liked his gentle nature.' he said.
'Mum and dad were really active in maintaining a good relationship with Erin. I think it was mutual.'