logo
Erin Patterson mushroom murder trial LIVE updates: Countdown to verdict as jury continues deliberations today

Erin Patterson mushroom murder trial LIVE updates: Countdown to verdict as jury continues deliberations today

Daily Mail​8 hours ago

Justice Christopher Beale concluded his address to the jury - or 'charge' - yesterday afternoon before the jury was retired to deliberate on the verdict.
On Monday afternoon two jurors were balloted out leaving 12 to decide Patterson's fate.
The five women and seven men will resume their deliberations this morning meaning there is a possibility a verdict in the murder trial, which has garnered worldwide attention, could come as early as today.
Patterson, 50, is accused of murdering her in-laws, Don and Gail Patterson, and Gail's sister, Heather Wilkinson, after allegedly serving them a beef Wellington lunch made with death cap mushrooms.
Patterson is also accused of attempting to murder Heather's husband, pastor Ian Wilkinson, who survived the lunch after spending several weeks in an intensive care unit.
The court heard Patterson's estranged husband, Simon (pictured), was also invited to the gathering at her home in Leongatha, in Victoria's Gippsland region, but didn't attend.
Witnesses told the jury that Patterson ate her serving from a smaller, differently-coloured plate to those of her guests, who ate off four grey plates.
Patterson told authorities she bought dried mushrooms from an unnamed Asian store in the Monash area of Melbourne, but health inspectors could find no evidence of this.

Orange background

Try Our AI Features

Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:

Comments

No comments yet...

Related Articles

Melbourne childcare worker charged with sex offences; NSW braces for storm; and a basketball player's own goal
Melbourne childcare worker charged with sex offences; NSW braces for storm; and a basketball player's own goal

The Guardian

time21 minutes ago

  • The Guardian

Melbourne childcare worker charged with sex offences; NSW braces for storm; and a basketball player's own goal

Welcome, readers, to Afternoon Update. Victorian health authorities are recommending that 1,200 children are tested for infectious diseases after a Melbourne childcare worker was charged with allegedly sexually abusing infants and children in his care. Police on Tuesday confirmed that a Point Cook resident, Joshua Brown, 26, had been charged in May with more than 70 offences relating to eight alleged victims aged between five months and two years old. The infants and children attended a childcare centre in Melbourne's western suburbs and their families were notified last week of the alleged offending. Victoria's premier, Jacinta Allan, said she was 'sickened' by the 'shocking and distressing' allegations. 'My heart just breaks for the families who are living every parent's worst nightmare,' she said. Musk vows to unseat lawmakers who support Trump's one big beautiful bill NSW weather: Sydney and south coast residents warned to 'stay indoors' as vigorous coastal low batters state Popular sunscreens accused of 'greenwashing' by ACCC over 'reef friendly' claims Federal court orders Sydney Muslim cleric to remove 'racist and antisemitic' lectures from social media Brain fade sees basketball player dunk in his own net to trigger double-overtime defeat Vivienne Westwood and Rei Kawakubo paired for the first time in blockbuster exhibition at the NGV Intimate stories of birth, a nude winter solstice swim and a Matildas win – Guardian Australia's best pictures from around the country in June. 'I've been respectful of the president. And I must say that he's been respectful of me as well.' Anthony Albanese was on a media blitz this morning to spruik changes coming into effect this financial year but the elephant in the room – Donald Trump – is getting all the focus. Asked whether he should consider telling the US president to 'bugger off' after what many perceived to be a recent snub when their meeting on the sidelines of the G7 was abruptly cancelled, the prime minister insisted on a more diplomatic approach. When the law was announced, critics immediately said it would be used as a weapon to demolish institutional opposition in the city. The disbandment of Hong Kong's League of Social Democrats, an almost 20-year-old opposition party, this week has shown just how comprehensively the law worked. Sign up to Afternoon Update Our Australian afternoon update breaks down the key stories of the day, telling you what's happening and why it matters after newsletter promotion In today's culture, responsiveness is a proxy for care. But being in constant rotation has left the speech pathologist, writer and director Miski Omar, tired of the tyranny of being reachable. Today's starter word is: BEN. You have five goes to get the longest word including the starter word. Play Wordiply. Enjoying the Afternoon Update? Then you'll love our Morning Mail newsletter. Sign up here to start the day with a curated breakdown of the key stories you need to know, and complete your daily news roundup. And follow the latest in US politics by signing up for This Week in Trumpland. If you have a story tip or technical issue viewing this newsletter, please reply to this email. If you are a Guardian supporter and need assistance with regards to contributions and/or digital subscriptions, please email

Australian health authorities call for infectious disease tests of children after man charged with sex offices
Australian health authorities call for infectious disease tests of children after man charged with sex offices

Reuters

time33 minutes ago

  • Reuters

Australian health authorities call for infectious disease tests of children after man charged with sex offices

SYDNEY, July 1 (Reuters) - Australian health authorities are urging around 1,200 children in the state of Victoria to be tested for infectious diseases after police charged a childcare worker with dozens of sexual abuse offences. Police said on Tuesday that Joshua Brown, a 26-year-old Melbourne man, had been arrested and charged in May with more than 70 offences relating to eight alleged victims. The alleged victims were aged between five months and two years of age and attended Creative Garden Early Learning Centre between April 2022 and January 2023. Police said they had launched a significant investigation since Brown's arrest. Sex crime squad detectives concluded Brown had worked at 20 Melbourne childcare centres between January 2017 and May 2025, and were also investigating allegations of offending at a second childcare centre in Melbourne's north. Victoria's chief health officer, Christian McGrath, said 2,600 families had been contacted by authorities, with 1,200 children recommended to undergo testing for infectious diseases. 'This is another distressing element to the situation, and we're taking this approach as a precaution,' McGrath told a news conference. 'We do believe it's a low risk, but we want to offer this to provide assurance to the parents about the health and wellbeing of their children.' Police said the investigation was triggered by the discovery of child abuse material, not by a complaint made by a victim. Acting Police Commander Janet Stevenson said Brown was not previously known to police and held a valid permit to work with children, which has since been cancelled. Brown, who remains in police custody, will appear before the Melbourne Magistrates' Court on September 15. Stevenson said a suppression order on Brown's identity was lifted in order to notify parents with children in childcare. "We felt that it was really important. This is unique. It's very important to ensure that every parent out there that has a child in childcare, knows who he is and where he worked," she said. "It was an unusual decision but it is before the courts and so it is actually public knowledge."

Dramatic twist in hunt for missing teenage girl who mysteriously vanished a week ago after chilling new images emerged of her last walk
Dramatic twist in hunt for missing teenage girl who mysteriously vanished a week ago after chilling new images emerged of her last walk

Daily Mail​

timean hour ago

  • Daily Mail​

Dramatic twist in hunt for missing teenage girl who mysteriously vanished a week ago after chilling new images emerged of her last walk

A teenage girl has been found eight days after she vanished in broad daylight in Sydney 's west after her family revealed she would be too shy to ask for help. Economics student Aanisha Sathik, 18, disappeared from Harrow Road in Auburn after leaving her family home without her phone or any cash about 3.45pm on June 23. Police believe she was spotted on CCTV footage, apparently wandering aimlessly about 3km away in the neighbouring suburb of Berala between 5.45pm and 6pm. But there had been no trace of her anywhere until she was found at 2pm in Berala on Tuesday. She has now been rushed to hospital to be assessed. The breakthrough came after her distraught family begged for help to find the 'very bright' and academically-gifted teenager. 'She is not known to go walking and is very reserved,' her uncle Salman told Daily Mail Australia before she was located. 'She wouldn't have been asking people for food. She's so bright but she had no interests, not many friends.' Her parents Fatima and Sadiq Sathik had joined police in appealing to locals in nearby homes to check their backyards or garages for any sign of her on Monday. 'We don't know what happened to our daughter,' her father sobbed. 'We just want her home safe. 'Seven days, no money, no food. We are worrying a lot. Please help. 'She doesn't have many friends, she always goes with us. 'Our child knows only school and house, nothing much. We're a bit scared now.' Aanisha is the eldest of their three children and scored highly in her HSCs last year. She is studying a double degree in economics but was hospitalised a year ago. She had a lot of friends in Year 11, he added, but had become withdrawn and reserved after her spell in hospital. Police say she was seen walking south along Harrow Rd before spending about two hours in Norman Park from 3pm. From there, they believe she walked along Mount Auburn Rd and was later captured on CCTV on Woodburn Rd, near Stone St, about 5.50pm. Salman said that some homes and businesses had checked CCTV cameras, but they hoped there would be more who may have had footage of Aanisha. He said it was 'unusual for her to go missing' and that when he left home in the past, to go to uni, she always came back for the night'. On Tuesday, police confirmed she had been found and was being assessed in hospital.

DOWNLOAD THE APP

Get Started Now: Download the App

Ready to dive into a world of global content with local flavor? Download Daily8 app today from your preferred app store and start exploring.
app-storeplay-store