Australian woman Erin Patterson is convicted of 3 murders for poisoning her in-laws with mushrooms
The jury in the Supreme Court trial in Victoria state returned a verdict after six days of deliberations, following a nine-week trial that gripped Australia. Patterson faces life in prison and will be sentenced at a later date.
Three of Patterson's four lunch guests — her parents-in-law Don and Gail Patterson, and Gail's sister Heather Wilkinson — died in the hospital after the 2023 meal at her home in Leongatha, at which she served individual beef Wellington pastries containing death cap mushrooms.
She was also found guilty of attempting to murder Ian Wilkinson, Heather's husband, who survived the meal.
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Daily Mail
an hour ago
- Daily Mail
How to spot a deadly mushroom - as Erin Patterson is found guilty of murdering her family with a death cap-laced beef wellington
The deadly dangers of mushroom poisoning have been laid bare after a shocking case where an Australian woman used them to kill a trio of her family members. Erin Patterson was today found guilty of murdering her parents-in-law Don and Gail Patterson and her husband's aunt Heather Wilkinson as well as the attempted murder of Heather's husband Pastor Ian Wilkinson. The three died after they ate beef Wellingtons made with lethal 'death cap' mushrooms, while Mr Wilkinson survived after weeks of agony. Patterson, a mother-of-two, served the deadly meal to her guests at her home in Leongatha, in South Gippsland, Victoria on July 29, 2023. After a 10-week trial, a jury has now concluded she poisoned her guests on purpose, delivering a 'guilty' verdict. Patterson had claimed she had bought the dried mushrooms used in her beef Wellington from an Asian grocer in Melbourne 's south-east. Health officials have long warned of the risks of foraging for mushrooms, with the poisons in some of the most dangerous wild mushrooms not destroyed by cooking. NHS data seen by MailOnline shows there were 63 admissions for eating toxic mushrooms in NHS hospitals last year, 46 of them emergencies. There are 15,000 reported types of fungi found in the UK, according to the Royal Society for the Protection of Birds (RSPB). Generally, mushrooms with white gills, white rings or skirts around the base are warning signs and should be avoided, says Wild Food UK. Equally, red colouring on mushrooms including the stem, pores or cap could indicate toxicity. Now, this website now details how to spot a potentially deadly mushroom. EDIBLE MUSHROOMS Scotch bonnet or fairy ring mushroom (Marasmius oreades) The fairy ring mushroom, scientifically known as Marasmius oreades, is a common sight on lawns, meadows, and pastures in summer and autumn. The fungi is known for its unique growth pattern, often forming arcs or circles called fairy rings. Although small, it can usually be found in large numbers, according to Wild Food UK, which describes it as a 'great-tasting gourmet mushroom'. Bay bolete (Imleria badia) Bay bolete's scientific name, Badia, means chestnut brown and refers to the colour of its cap, the Woodland Trust says. It describes it as an 'excellent edible mushroom'. While the flesh is white or slightly yellow, the stem is smooth. On the cap underside are small yellowish pores that bruise bluish-grey when injured or pressed. It is common in spruce and pine forests and occasionally appears also under oak, beech and chestnut trees. Giant puffball (Calvatia gigantea) The Calvatia gigantea, commonly known as the giant puffball, is a colossal fungi found in meadows, the RSPB say. Young puffballs have soft clean white skin and firm flesh when cut. According to Wild Food UK, it is the safest mushroom in the UK for novice foragers and they are best eaten when young. Chanterelle (Cantharellus cibarius) This rich-yellow fungi, shaped like a funnel, develops a wavy, turned-under edge with age. Known scientifically as Cantharellus cibarius, it is often found in woods, particularly beech and oak, the Woodland Trust says. It calls it a 'prized ingredient' and 'forager's favourite'. Reportedly used by chefs all over the world, it is among the most popular types of wild edible mushrooms and the most commonly consumed of all mushrooms. Saffron Milkcap (Lactarius deliciosus) Bleeding a bright carrot-orange liquid when cut, the Saffron Milkcap is more common in northern England and Scotland, where it is found in pine woodlands. The edible mushroom should be cooked and tends to keep good texture after cooking. The poisonous Woolly Milkcap — Lactarius torminosus — does look similar to the Saffron Milkcap, but it has hairs on the edge of its cap, Wild Food UK caution. POISONOUS MUSHROOMS Death Caps (Amanita phalloides) Amanita Phalloides, or the death cap, is one of the world's most poisonous fungi. Just eating a few mouthfuls of the 'harmless looking' death cap mushroom can kill, according to the RSPB. They often grow near established oak trees, and are found when there is warm, wet weather. Native to Europe, it is common in most parts of the UK and Ireland. The fungi stand out due to the pale green colouring of their caps, a bulbous end at the foot of the stalk and an annulus - a ring-like collar - at the top. Destroying Angel (Amanita virosa) This ghostly white mushroom is more lethal than the death cap, Wild Food UK warns. Often found in woody upland areas, the Destroying Angel can often be found in Scotland. But according to the Woodland Trust, just one of these offending mushrooms in a bowl of soup is said to be potent enough to kill anyone who has a spoonful. There is no known antidote. Just a small amount can lead to serious vomiting and diarrhoea which can last for a few days before appearing to ease. But sufferers may experience a deceiving period of improvement, before the effects of liver and kidney poisoning occur. Fool's funnel (Clitocybe rivulosa) The Fool's funnel is also often known as the sweating mushroom — describing its potentially deadly effects — the Woodland Trust says. It often grows on lawns and meadows alongside the edible Scotch bonnet, causing confusion. While eating it is rarely fatal, in large doses it can cause abdominal pain, sickness, diarrhoea and blurred vision. Panthercap (Amanita pantherina) This pox-crusted fungus, found under oak and beech trees, is fiercely poisonous. The Panther Cap's cap is dark brown and covered in thick white scales or 'warts', Wild Food UK says. Under its cap are white, thin papery gills. People can expect to experience intense sickness and extremely vivid hallucinations, according to the Woodland Trust. In rare cases, the fungi can also prove fatal. Fool's conecap (Pholiotina rugosa) Pholiotina rugosa, commonly known as the Fool's conecap has a smooth, shiny, brown cap around 2cm wide. The fungi could be found in the garden, the Woodland Trust say, as it grows in leaf litter, rotting woodchip piles, sawdust, rich soil and compost. Like the death cap, fool's conecap contains deadly alpha-amanitin which is highly toxic to the liver when ingested.
The Independent
an hour ago
- The Independent
Australian state to set up anti-hate task force after Melbourne synagogue arson
Australia 's Victoria state will set up an anti-hate task force to tackle violent protests following a spike in antisemitism in the country. The task force, which would include the premier, state police minister, Melbourne mayor and the police, will gather for its first meeting this week, according to reports. The announcement came after a synagogue in East Melbourne while 20 worshipers were inside was set fire on Friday night. The congregation escaped unharmed through a rear door, and firefighters managed to contain the blaze to the entrance area of the 148-year-old building. Police over the weekend arrested and charged a 34-year-old man in connection with the alleged arson. His identity, however, has been withheld by the authorities. The suspect was charged with offences including criminal damage by fire. Police said the man allegedly poured a flammable liquid on the front door and set it on fire before fleeing. 'Detectives will continue to examine the intent and ideology of the person charged to determine if the incident is in fact terrorism,' police said. "Just as the fire came to the front door here of this (synagogue), it was stopped. So too must we put a stop to antisemitism," Victoria state premier Jacinta Allan told reporters. "Not only does it have no place here in Melbourne and Victoria, it has no place anywhere." She said the government is consulting experts while drafting a bill to ban face masks, display of terror symbols and devices used by protesters to attach themselves to objects that makes it difficult for police to remove them. Ms Allan said the Jewish community representatives will be invited to attend the meeting of the anti-hate task force. Recent months have seen an escalation of attacks on synagogues, buildings and cars of Jewish community members across the country, including the discovery of a caravan laden with explosives with a list of Jewish targets in Sydney. The rise in antisemitic incidents began following Israeli prime minister Benjamin Netanyahu 's war on Gaza in October 2023. Mr Netanyahu, in a post on X, said: "I view with utmost gravity the antisemitic attacks that occurred last night in Melbourne, which included attempted arson of a synagogue in the city and a violent assault against an Israeli restaurant by pro-Palestinian rioters." 'The reprehensible antisemitic attacks, with calls of 'Death to the IDF' and an attempt to attack a place of worship, are severe hate crimes that must be uprooted. Earlier in January, a home in Sydney previously owned by a senior Jewish community leader was vandalised, two cars were set on fire, and a Jewish school and two other properties in Sydney were sprayed with antisemitic slurs. Melbourne's Adass synagogue, built by holocaust survivors in the 1960s, suffered widespread damage last year after a fire that injured one. In the wake of the incidents, Australia in February passed anti-hate crime laws under which a Nazi salute in public, among other similar offences, will be punishable by a mandatory jail sentence. The laws will impose jail sentences between 12 months for less serious hate crimes, such as giving a Nazi salute in public, and six years for those found guilty of terrorism offences.
The Independent
an hour ago
- The Independent
Philippine police take 15 officers into custody over the feared killings of cockfighters
Fifteen police officers have been taken into custody and are being investigated for their alleged role in the abductions and feared killings of at least 34 cockfighters, the Philippine police chief said Monday. The missing people were accused of cheating in the hugely popular sport, with their bodies reportedly dumped in a scenic lake with a restive volcano. The victims went missing around 2021 and 2022 mostly while on their way to or from cockfighting arenas dotting the main northern Philippine region of Luzon, including in the metropolitan Manila capital region. The unresolved disappearances again drew public attention after a key witness recently surfaced and accused his former employer, a gambling tycoon, of masterminding the killings, with bodies reportedly dumped in Taal Lake south of Manila or burned elsewhere. National police chief Gen. Nicolas Torre III said in a news conference that a key witness, who used the alias 'Totoy,' provided crucial details. The cockfighting aficionados and workers were strangled and mutilated before being dumped. Police investigators have corroborated the details and evidence provided by the witness which will be used in criminal complaints to be filed by the Department of Justice against the suspects, he said. The witness has told local TV networks that he decided to speak out because his former employer was allegedly threatening to have him killed. He said he wanted to help ease the agony of families of the victims who had been demanding justice for their missing kin. 'I was very shocked,' Torre said when asked how he felt over the disclosures made by the witness, who is under police guard. 'It firmed up our resolve to really solve this because what happened was savage and not acceptable by any standard.' Criminal complaints will be filed against the influential businessman, who owns cockfighting arenas and other gambling businesses, and other suspects, Justice Secretary Jesus Crispin Remulla said. The businessman has denied the allegations. Remulla said he would ask Japan to help provide technology to help look for traces of the remains of the victims, which could still be retrieved from the bottom of Taal Lake about four years after the killings. While banned in the United States and other Western countries largely due to animal cruelty concerns, cockfighting has been a popular pastime and gambling sport in many parts of Southeast Asia, including the Philippines, Latin America and some parts of Europe. Cockfighting arenas are found prominently in far-flung rural towns and major cities across the Philippines and draw large numbers of aficionados in an industry that has become a vibrant part of the local culture and a regulated gambling business that generates state revenues and thousands of jobs. The game involves pitting two roosters — with razor-sharp gaffs or steel blades attached to their legs — in a battle often to the death amid the roar of the crowd. The missing cockfighting aficionados and workers were accused of cheating by discreetly taking steps to weaken one rooster or diminishing its chances of winning, including by slightly injuring it, then betting on the other rooster.
