
Erin Patterson trial live: lead detective in Australian mushroom case continues giving evidence on day 24 of trial
Update:
Date: 2025-06-02T00:38:34.000Z
Title: Colin Mandy SC
Content: The jurors have entered the courtroom in Morwell.
Patterson's defence lawyer, , is cross-examining Eppingstall.
Update:
Date: 2025-06-02T00:36:25.000Z
Title: Welcome
Content: Erin Patterson's trial is entering its sixth week.
We're expecting Det Leading Sen Const Stephen Eppingstall, the officer in charge of investigating the fatal lunch, to continue giving evidence today.
While we wait for today's proceedings to get under way, here's a reminder of what the jury heard last week.
Our justice and courts reporter, Nino Bucci, was in Morwell last week and reported from inside the court room.
Hashtags

Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles


The Sun
27 minutes ago
- The Sun
Driver who ploughed into girl, 5, riding scooter on pavement before shamelessly speeding off released EARLY from jail
A MAN who mowed down a young girl has been released after just two and a half months. Kurtis Dwyer, 35, crashed into five-year-old Casey while she was riding her scooter home from school. 5 5 5 He mounted the pavement while driving at a high speed, colliding with the five-year-old as she rode her scooter. The horrific incident occurred in Grangetown, Cardiff, in March 2024, leaving the girl with ongoing physical and mental injuries. The dangerous driver was sentenced to 14 months after pleading guilty. During a trial which concluded on March 3 2025, Judge Simon Mills said that half of the sentence would be served behind bars, and the other half on licence. In reality, Kurtis was released early, serving just two and a half months in prison. Casey's mother, Rachel Bancroft told WalesOnline: 'It's hard to get my head around that with all the fight, stress, frustration and sleepless nights with the police and chasing evidence etc that it's taken nearly a year battling to get justice. "Then we finally get justice for him to do seven months in custody and he only does two and a half months. 'It has made me so angry. What has this world come to? I'm sure if the shoe was on the other foot and it was his child he'd be really disappointed as well. 'My little girl is still really suffering and I've now had to tell her that the bad man who hit her is out of jail. "It's taken me a year of fighting for justice for him to serve less than three months in jail. It's a disgrace.' The Ministry of Justice announced on Monday May 2 that Kurtis had been released into home detention curfew. This was possible because of the early release scheme which is an attempt to solve the country's prison overcrowding issue. It enables prisoners to be released from custody after serving just 40% of their sentence, rather than the prior 50% requirement. The scheme is also intended to help rehabilitate offenders through reintroducing them into community life earlier. A Ministry of Justice spokesperson told Wales Online that released offenders still face "strict licence conditions", including being tagged. They added: "Those who break the rules can be returned to prison." 5 5 In order to be eligible for home detention curfew, offenders must have been risk-assessed, and have six months or less left before their conditional release date. Kurtis had 15 previous convictions for 22 offences. He was also sent back to court during his time in custody after failing to provide a specimen when police requested. He was photographed laughing and taking pictures outside the Cardiff Crown Court before his sentencing. CCTV footage of the incident showed Kurtis driving recklessly before crashing into the child - he then drove away "in complete cowardice" according to the judge. He then later phoned the girl's father to admit to the crime, as well as telling the probation officer that he had seen the child before driving off. It comes a week after Britain's most senior police officer criticised ministers failure to consider the impact early release of prisoners might have on police forces. Sir Mark Rowley argued that the scheme would create even more work for police, as he is concerned some released prisoners would go on to commit more offences.


Daily Mail
an hour ago
- Daily Mail
Disaster broadcast as 7 News switches to wrong channel during live show leaving Brisbane viewers confused
Monday night's 7 News Brisbane broadcast, viewers were left scratching their heads when the local bulletin abruptly switched to Sydney's Mark Ferguson and Angela Cox mid-show. The surprise handover occurred around 6.37pm, shortly after an ad break, following a power failure at Seven's Mount Coot-Tha studios in Brisbane. According to TVBlackbox, for several minutes Brisbane viewers found themselves watching the Sydney edition of the news - with the broadcast running all the way through to the final news segment before sport and weather. It wasn't until Sydney's sports presenter Mel McLaughlin popped up onscreen that the unusual crossover was finally acknowledged. 'Welcome back, and welcome to our Brisbane viewers joining us due to a technical issue,' she said, as the segment shifted gears to the sports headlines. From A-list scandals and red carpet mishaps to exclusive pictures and viral moments, subscribe to the DailyMail's new showbiz newsletter to stay in the loop. A Seven spokesperson confirmed the mishap to TV Blackbox, revealing: 'There was a power failure on station and the team worked incredibly hard to get back on air in time for the Sunshine State's critical weather forecast.' Queensland's weather guru Tony Auden eventually returned to screens to deliver the all-important local forecast, before presenters Max Futcher and Katrina Blowers reappeared for the bulletin's wholesome 'Sunny Side' segment. Local sports presenter Steve Titmus was also briefly spotted at the desk during the handover but didn't get a chance to present the final sports stories due to the disruption. Meanwhile, fans trying to catch the full replay on 7plus were met with a surprise of their own - only the first 30 minutes of the Brisbane bulletin were uploaded, with the Sydney takeover absent from the stream. The Sydney edition had yet to appear online as of Tuesday morning. In a lighthearted sign-off, Max Futcher offered a sly nod to the on-air blunder, telling viewers: 'Hope your night is going smoothly.' It follows the news that three senior reporters at Channel Seven have jumped ship to rival Network 10. Seven's award-winning former foreign correspondent Amelia Brace, 7News Sydney reporter Bill Hogan and Spotlight producer-reporter Denham Hitchcock all resigned from the network last week, The Australian 's Media Diary reported. They are reportedly set to join a new investigative show set up by Channel Ten 's news boss Martin White. Brace and Hitchcock exited Seven's studio in Sydney within hours of quitting and are set to start their new jobs at Ten on Monday morning while Hogan will begin with the network in three weeks' time. Ten has reportedly offered Brace a $50,000 increase on the $220,000 a year she had been getting paid. In a message to colleagues on Friday, she said: 'It feels off to not have an official 'last day' to say goodbye, but it's best for me to just fade away for now.' 'Stand up for yourselves, and each other … and think of me every time you have to find a f**king case study.' Meanwhile, Hitchcock departs only three months after having returned to Seven after a couple of years off living on a catamaran with his young family. 'I'm back. It's time to wash some of the salt out - and get back to what I do best,' he said in an Instagram post. 'Back in 2019 the network asked me to start what would eventually become the Spotlight program with one producer and one cameraman - and as the limited shows proved successful - the team quickly grew and it would turn into the network's flagship program. Brace and Hitchcock exited Seven's studio in Sydney within hours of quitting and are set to start their new jobs at Ten on Monday morning while Hogan (pictured) will begin with the network in three weeks time 'I stepped away for a few years to go sailing with the family - and have returned to find a new EP, a new team, new reporters, a fresh energy, an abundance of stories, and some genuine excitement about the year ahead.' He ended the message by asking followers and fans to send 'research ideas'. 'But please - researched ideas - not just wild theories,' he warned, before adding: 'Keep an eye on @7newsspotlight it's going to be quite the year.' Hitchcock's short return to Seven came after he welcomed his second child in December with his wife Mari. He returned to screens in May 2023, in the true crime documentary 'Who Killed Marea?', which examines a 20-year-old cold case. Hitchcock led the Sky News investigation into the mysterious and brutal slaying of Marea Yann who was killed in her home in rural Victoria in 2003. The departures confirm industry whispers that Ten will launch a 'news magazine show' to take on the likes of Nine's 60 Minutes, Seven's Spotlight, and the ABC's Four Corners. The Australian reported last month that a 'crack team' of producers, referred to as the 'investigations unit' was being assembled to helm the new program. It was claimed that Channel Ten reporter Dan Sutton would be the show's executive producer, with potential reporters currently being screen tested. A Network Ten spokesperson confirmed the establishment of the investigation unit to Daily Mail Australia.


South Wales Guardian
an hour ago
- South Wales Guardian
Prison officers told to wear body armour in high-security jails after attacks
Justice Secretary Shabana Mahmood said prison officers would be told to wear body armour in settings at the highest categories of prisons in England and Wales, telling MPs it would apply to close supervision centres, separation centres and segregation units. It came as shadow justice secretary Robert Jenrick repeated his warning that a prison officer could be killed unless stronger action is taken. The incident at HMP Long Lartin on Saturday was the latest in a series of attacks on prison officers in recent months. The staff member at the prison near Evesham, Worcestershire, had to undergo emergency surgery after being stabbed by an inmate and is now said to be in a stable condition. Meanwhile in May, Southport triple killer Axel Rudakubana was accused of throwing boiling water at a prison officer through a cell door at HMP Belmarsh, causing minor injuries. A month previously, Manchester bomb plotter Hashem Abedi was moved to Belmarsh from HMP Frankland after allegedly throwing boiling cooking oil at three prison officers. Abedi was previously found guilty of attacking a prison officer in 2020. Ms Mahmood asked Jonathan Hall KC to lead an independent review into events at Frankland in County Durham, which will examine whether current protection for prison officers is sufficient. He will also evaluate whether separation centres, which are in place to manage the most dangerous prisoners, are fit for purpose. She told MPs on Tuesday: 'Today, I can announce I will mandate its use in close supervision centres, separation centres and segregation units in the high security estate. 'This is my initial response to the review, but I will set out further action on body armour in due course. 'When Jonathan Hall's independent review into the Frankland attack reports, I will take any further steps necessary to protect our brave staff.' Mr Jenrick told MPs he still fears for prison officers' safety, as he hit out at Rudakubana having access to 'treats' such as Pringles and Maltesers. He said: 'Brave prison officers are under attack if the Government doesn't act now. I'm warning once again that an officer will be killed on the Justice Secretary's watch. After the Southport killer Axel Rudakubana allegedly attacked an officer with boiling water, he is now bingeing on treats like Maltesers and Pringles. 'When will the Justice Secretary strip Rudakubana and monsters like him of these privileges and put them in solitary confinement, and when will she finally have the backs of all our brave prison officers by giving each and every one of them the protection that they need in the form of high-collar, stab-proof vests, not just a privileged view in the most limited circumstances?' Ms Mahmood said: 'Let me just give the shadow minister a much-needed education here because he appears not to know that under the Tory government, violence on staff in our prisons soared and experienced officers left in droves because of it. 'That is inheritance that I have received and that is the mess that this Government is clearing up. He will know I have already acted on suspending the use of self-cook facilities, I've got Jonathan Hall looking into the HMP Frankland attack, I've made the announcement on body armour, and I won't hesitate to take any further action, but unlike him I won't make, and I quote 'headline-grabbing measures', just for the sake of a headline.'