How to judge Erin: Justice Beale weighs in
He laid out the principles of law, summarised the key evidence, and even provided the jurors with what's sure to be a very helpful chronology of all the evidence they've heard.
The Judge also explained what to make of Erin Patterson taking the stand, how to assess evidence from her children, and what to make of good character evidence.
If you've got questions about the case that you'd like Rachael and Stocky to answer in future episodes, send them through to mushroomcasedaily@abc.net.au
-
It's the case that's captured the attention of the world.
Three people died and a fourth survived an induced coma after eating beef wellington at a family lunch, hosted by Erin Patterson.
Police allege the beef wellington contained poisonous mushrooms, but Erin Patterson says she's innocent.
Now, the accused triple murderer is fighting the charges in a regional Victorian courthouse. Investigative reporter Rachael Brown and producer Stephen Stockwell are on the ground, bringing you all the key moments from the trial as they unravel in court.
From court recaps to behind-the-scenes murder trial explainers, the Mushroom Case Daily podcast is your eyes and ears inside the courtroom.
Keep up to date with new episodes of Mushroom Case Daily, now releasing every day on the ABC listen app.
Hashtags
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
ABC News
15 minutes ago
- ABC News
Childcare giant Goodstart failed to report worker who was later investigated for alleged sexual assaults
An ABC investigation has revealed a regional Victorian childcare worker has been accused of sexually assaulting two children and allegedly grooming a foster child in his care. The investigation has revealed Goodstart Early Learning Centre is aware of 12 allegations against the male worker dating back to September 2023, including two parents who reported the man allegedly sexually assaulted their children while working at the centre. The man, who cannot be named for legal reasons, worked at five Goodstart Early Learning Centres in the regional Victorian city of Ballarat between December 2020 and April 2025. The ABC can reveal the centre's director was informed of allegations of sexual behaviour, potential grooming and boundary crossing towards a foster child in the male worker's care around September 2023. Goodstart said in a statement to the ABC these allegations were never reported "at all". The Department of Families, Fairness and Housing has been contacted for comment on whether the man remains a foster carer. Victoria Police investigated allegations the worker sexually assaulted two children while changing their nappies in 2024, but recently concluded there was insufficient evidence for a successful criminal prosecution. Victoria's early childhood Regulatory Authority (Quality and Assessment Regulatory Division) said it was investigating Goodstart Early Learning. "While this investigation is underway, it is inappropriate to comment," a Department of Education spokesperson said. The male childcare worker was suspended with pay in July 2024 and then fired in April after the state government's Quality Assessment and Regulation division (QARD) prohibited him from working in early learning as a result of one of the allegations against him. The ABC understands he continues to hold a valid Working With Children Check (WWCC), despite Goodstart Early Learning Centre writing to the state government on multiple occasions in 2024 regarding the alleged offending. In a statement, Goodstart Early Learning Centre chief executive Ros Baxter said an internal investigator had been hired to "ensure no stone is left unturned". "Goodstart now knows that a centre director repeatedly failed in their obligations to report allegations made to them about this person. We terminated their employment for that failure," Dr Baxter said. "I am always devastated to learn of instances where individual staff members breach our strict reporting policies. "But our response in this case demonstrates how seriously Goodstart treats reporting, and our responsibility to keep children safe." The investigation comes as the Victorian government prepares to release its response to the "rapid review" of child care, following allegations of sexual assault by Joshua Dale Brown within a Melbourne childcare centre. Lisa is the mother of one of two children allegedly sexually assaulted by the worker. She said she received the worst call of her life in September 2024 when a manager from Goodstart Early Learning Centre told her police were investigating alleged inappropriate conduct by a male educator. "I straight out asked if it involved sexual assault, and the person on the phone at that time said yes," said Lisa, who is not using her real name. Lisa said she asked her daughter if there was anyone she "didn't like" at child care. Her daughter named the male worker. "She said that this person always wanted to change her nappy, and that when they did last time, that they held her down by her shoulders and assaulted her, and that she screamed," she said. "A two-year-old isn't going to come up with those words on their own." In a subsequent phone call, Lisa said a senior manager at the centre denied the matter was sexual in nature. "I said that I was going to call the police, and she said not to do that and to just send her an email. I knew straight away that that was not right," she said. In her statement to police, seen by the ABC, Lisa told police her daughter said the male worker was "scary" and "always wants to change my nappy". She told her mother the male worker penetrated her with his finger while changing her nappy. "It really hurt, I screamed out," the statement from the child read. The ABC understands a second child from the centre made similar allegations to their parents about the man's actions during nappy changes. Victoria Police told Lisa a person had been interviewed regarding the allegations, and that police would look into the matter again if further evidence became available. Steve (not his real name) said he knew something was not right when he picked up his daughter from the centre in question in August 2023. Inside, he saw the male childcare worker lying on a mat "whilst multiple children lay on top of him and played and jumped all over him", he recounted in a complaint to the management. His email complaint to the centre, as seen by the ABC, is understood to be the first Goodstart received regarding the male educator. "They were holding his mouth and his face, and were laying and jumping and or sitting on his stomach and groin," he wrote in that August 2023 email. Speaking to the ABC, Steve said the educator's behaviour left him shocked, "uneasy and uncomfortable". "I didn't think children should be playing with a male educator and sitting on his lap while he's lying on his back," Steve said. He received an assurance from Goodstart centre management that "all appropriate investigations have taken place." He was furious to learn nothing had been done with his initial complaint in 2023. "It made me feel sick to my stomach, and then angry really," he said. "Angry at Goodstart, angry at him, and then angry at myself for putting my daughter back in that situation." Goodstart confirmed the man had worked at five of its centres in the Ballarat area: Wendouree, Mount Helen, Mount Clear, Delacombe and Alfredton. The company said the man had been fired and that the centre director had also been let go for "serious misconduct". The company eventually passed Steve's complaint on to Victoria Police and the Victorian Children's Commissioner, but it came in August 2024, about one year after the matter was first brought to their attention. In a statement to the ABC, Goodstart blamed the scandal on a former centre director, whom it said had failed to properly report the allegations against the male worker. The company released a statement noting that since the police investigation had concluded, it was now free to launch its own detailed investigation into the matter. "The toll on the families, and the many wonderful educators who worked at that centre, during this investigation has been immense. My heart goes out to them all," Dr Baxter said. "Goodstart will continue to learn all possible lessons from the investigation and we will share the findings with Victoria's regulators." Goodstart was highly critical of Victoria Police, claiming in a statement it had asked police to investigate the allegations, which police had repeatedly declined. Victoria Police has been contacted for comment. The childcare company also said it was not advised when the worker was issued with a prohibition order by the Victorian Education Department, despite the worker still being employed (but suspended) by Goodstart. Goodstart's CEO said she had personally written to the Victorian Department of Government Services asking it to revoke the man's Working with Children Check. The Department of Government Services declined to comment. "We condemn the reporting failings of a Goodstart staff member. Once reporting occurred, we took all the right steps. And we have learned from this case and will keep learning," Dr Baxter said. "But the pain of … families and staff will be in vain if we do not all learn its lessons." As for Lisa, she was horrified to learn she was not the first to complain about the man. "Knowing that there were multiple allegations before my child had even started makes me sick," she said. "Because if the public had known, if I had known, I never would have put my child in a place like that."
ABC News
7 hours ago
- ABC News
Staff member at Endeavour Hills Specialist School charged with child sex abuse
A staffer at the Endeavour Hills Specialist School in Melbourne's south-east has been charged with child sexual abuse offences. In a letter to parents and carers, the school's principal said the charges related to Roshelle Kassab, an education support staff member employed at the school since January. "I acknowledge that this notification may trigger a range of emotions, and that it will impact people in different ways," the letter read. "Our student wellbeing team is available if your child is impacted by this news or any possible conversations about it by students on or outside of school grounds." The letter did not specify what the alleged offences were or whether they took place at the school. Opened in 2022, Endeavour Hills Specialist School serves students with special needs, including intellectual disabilities and autism, from the ages of 5 to 18. The school had 225 students enrolled according to its latest census from August last year. A Department of Education spokesperson said the reports were concerning but did not comment further citing an ongoing police investigation. "Our current priority is to ensure full support is available to any students or staff impacted," the spokesperson said. Ms Kassab is no longer working at Endeavour Hills Specialist School. Victoria Police were not able to confirm details about the charges.
News.com.au
8 hours ago
- News.com.au
Outback Wrangler Matt Wright's mate Tim Johnston allegedly tried to get Seb Robinson's diary from hospital
Outback Wrangler Matt Wright's mate allegedly went to the hospital room of a paraplegic and recently comatose pilot to pick up his diary, a jury has heard. Mr Wright has pleaded not guilty to three counts of attempting to pervert the course of justice during the investigation into a chopper crash that killed his co-star Chris 'Willow' Wilson on February 28, 2022. It has been alleged Mr Wright engaged in a 'pattern' of failing to accurately record flight times for the crashed helicopter to avoid costly maintenance requirements. Prosecutor Jason Gullaci has alleged Mr Wright knew, and attempted to cover up, the helicopter carrying his two friends and employees should never have flown that fateful morning due to these service requirements. Sebastian Robinson, the pilot and sole survivor, was allegedly visited by work friend Tim Johnston in his Brisbane Hospital room days after the catastrophic crash. On Friday, his brother Jacob Robinson told the jury a stranger, Mr Johnston, introduced himself as Mr Wright's colleague and asked for the injured pilot's phone and a book. 'It just looked like a diary. I wasn't too sure,' Jacob said. He alleged Mr Johnson said 'Matty sent him to grab it' and 'We really, really need the logbook'. Jacob said he 'felt pressured' into giving him the book, but refused to hand over his brother's phone. 'As soon as I gave it to him, he's pretty much took off,' Jacob said. He said as soon as their mother, Nolene Chellingworth, returned she 'started crying and said I shouldn't have done that'. 'Hallucinating' Jacob said Ms Chellingworth called Mr Johnston back, and he returned the pilot's book. On Monday, Mr Robinson's girlfriend Rhanii Lee said she also remembered the 'very emotional' Mr Johnson asking for Mr Robinson's book before leaving. Mr Robinson said he was still heavily sedated, under a lot of medication and 'hallucinating' when Mr Wright and his wife Kaia allegedly visited him 11 days after the catastrophic crash, on March 11. The paraplegic man alleged his boss asked him to transfer a 'few hours' from the crashed chopper — with the call sign IDW — to Mr Robinson's personal Robinson R-44, call sign ZXZ. 'He mentioned something about CASA and then potentially transferring hours over from IDW to ZXZ. Mr Robinson has conceded he was 'behind a few entries' on his personal chopper's maintenance release, missing almost three months of entries back to early December. But Mr Wright's defence senior counsel David Edwardson said the young pilot was 'hopelessly behind' on his paperwork. He said Mr Robinson was under Mr Wright's Air Operator's Certificate, and as such his boss was 'ultimately responsible' he was compliant with aviation laws. Mr Edwardson suggested Mr Wright was making sure his pilot's records were 'up to speed', but Mr Robinson maintained he was asked to manipulate his records. The young pilot has acknowledged he initially lied to air crash investigators because he was 'worried and panicked' about his own underreporting of hours. He said it was 'common practice in the industry' — including at Mr Wright's Helibrook — for pilots to not record flight hours and to disconnect the Hobbs Meter, similar to a car's odometer. 'I worked for Helibrook and all the aircraft were never kept up to date,' he said. The now paraplegic pilot with a traumatic brain injury revealed to the jury he has not received any workers' compensation in the wake of the crash. He said since he started as an egg collector at just 18 years old, he was led to believe he would be covered as a subcontractorof Wild Harvest NT. 'I was led to, everyone was led to believe that everyone in the egg collection was covered by worker's compensation,' Mr Robinson said. 'As I progressed into flying I always assume that ... WHNT covered everyone's worker's compensation, that I did not need to have my own worker's compensation.' Mr Robinson said when he took off the morning of the fatal crash, he believed he would be covered either by WHNT or Mr Wright's Helibrook. Now bound to a wheelchair, Mr Robinson said finding out he would never walk again was 'the hardest thing I've ever had to deal with in my life'. 'Learning that you've got a severed spinal cord... you can't think, you can't say, you know, you're scared,' he said. 'I wouldn't wish that experience upon anyone'. The trial continues on Tuesday.
