
Erin Patterson's hospital visit – and what the beef wellingtons really looked like: mushroom murder exhibits revealed
Jurors heard from more than 50 witnesses and were introduced to more than 120 pieces of evidence by the prosecution and defence throughout the lengthy proceedings.
On Monday, the Victorian supreme court jury convicted Patterson of murdering her estranged husband's parents, Don and Gail Patterson, and his aunt, Heather Wilkinson. The 12-person jury also found Patterson guilty of attempting to murder Heather's husband, Ian Wilkinson, who survived the lunch after spending weeks in hospital.
Now, the exhibits have been made public, showing a mountain of private text messages, phone records, screenshots, CCTV video and medical documents that helped to convict Patterson.
Here are some of the major pieces of evidence that paint a picture of how the tragedy unfolded.
The remains of the fatal beef wellington dish were shown to jurors in 'Exhibit 26' and 'Exhibit 15'. They included samples sent to experts for examination, and the leftovers recovered from Patterson's bin after her guests fell ill.
One image was taken from a screenshot taken by Dr Laura Muldoon, who assessed Patterson in the Monash hospital emergency department. The picture of the leftovers was sent to Muldoon by Dr Veronica Foote, the first on-call doctor at Leongatha hospital.
An undated photo released by the Victorian supreme court shows the dining table where Patterson's lunch guests would have sat to eat the beef wellington meal on 29 July 2023.
There was some disagreement over how the meal was served, with surviving lunch guest, Ian Wilkinson, testifying that Patterson had eaten on a different coloured plate – a claim she denied. Wilkinson also told the jury about the atmosphere of the lunch, including Patterson's reluctance to let guests help in the kitchen and her revelation about having cancer, which later proved to be false.
Patterson's food dehydrator became a key piece of evidence for the prosecution to point to fabrications she had made to the police immediately after the fatal lunch.
Initially, she denied owning a dehydrator, which she was later found to have dumped at the local tip on 2 August. The dehydrator was found to contain traces of poisonous mushrooms.
Exhibit 21 shows images of Patterson in her vehicle at Koonwarra transfer station.
CCTV footage was shown to the jury of Patterson at Monash hospital on the morning of 31 July, presenting to medical staff. She appeared calm, in white pants, a red jumper and a mask. Hours later, she would discharge herself.
The jury also saw footage of Dr Foote photographing leftovers of the meal, including mushrooms and their encased pastry, in recycled Woolworth bags while wearing hospital gloves.
Sign up to Breaking News Australia
Get the most important news as it breaks
after newsletter promotion
Another difficulty for the defence was why Patterson discharged herself from the hospital against medical advice, five minutes after being told she may have been exposed to potentially fatal mushroom poisoning.
Dr Christopher Webster, who was working at the Leongatha hospital two days after Patterson served beef wellington to her in-laws for lunch, told the court that Don and Gail Patterson had already been transferred to intensive care, and the Wilkinsons were about to be transferred to a larger hospital, when Patterson arrived at the hospital about 8.05am on 31 July 2023.
Soon after, she discharged herself against medical advice once Webster told her that she would need to start undergoing treatment, saying she had not been prepared to be admitted.
Patterson's denial to police that she had ever foraged mushrooms was another lie the prosecution pointed to in order to emphasise her unreliability with the truth.
The defence submitted images of mushroom foraging photos taken on Patterson's devices to try to established she had an innocent interest in searching for wild fungi stemming back to 2020.
One photo shown to the court displayed foraged mushrooms dehydrating on scales in Patterson's home.
Private messages shared between Patterson and her estranged husband, Simon Patterson, painted a strained picture of their relationship.
Simon's explanation for refusing to attend the fatal lunch was displayed in Exhibit 2, when he revealed he felt 'too uncomfortable' about attending the meal but was happy to talk about his ex's 'health and implications of that' another time.
The evidence also showed warm messages between Patterson and her lunch guests and former parents-in-law, Gail and Don Patterson. They appeared sympathetic about her back problems, continually offering 'thoughts and prayers' and shared concerns about Covid-19 cases rising in their community.
Hashtags

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


Daily Mail
2 hours ago
- Daily Mail
Why an invitation to dance was used to attack sex abuse claims against MP
A teen's friendly texts to a state MP and a decision to dance with him alone raised questions about whether claimed sexual abuse by the politician even occurred, a jury has been told. Kiama MP Gareth Ward, 44, is on trial in the NSW District Court after pleading not guilty to sexual intercourse without consent and indecent assault charges. He is accused of inviting a drunk 18-year-old man to his South Coast home in February 2013. The man told the jury Ward plied him with drinks before indecently assaulting him three times in one night, despite his attempts to resist. Ward's barrister David Campbell SC questioned these allegations during his closing address to the jury on Friday, saying the teen's conduct in 2014 and 2015 suggested the claimed abuse did not take place. At a party in 2015, the alleged victim called Ward onto the dance floor with video played to the jury showing pair dancing alone, the jury was told. 'Is that the sort of conduct you'd expect from someone who says they've been previously sexually violated by this man?' Mr Campbell asked. In 2014, the alleged victim and Ward exchanged friendly texts, including when the teen moved interstate for a few months. In November 2013, they discussed catching up before Christmas. 'Would love to. Miss you guys!' Ward texted. 'Don't go sappy on me, big fellow. Ha ha, let's do it,' the alleged victim replied. Mr Campbell again asked the jury if that was the sort of conduct they would expect if the teen had been sexually violated months before. The long-time MP has also been accused of sexually assaulting an intoxicated political staffer after a mid-week event at NSW Parliament House in 2015. The man, who was 24 at the time, said Ward climbed into bed with him, groped his backside, and sexually assaulted him despite him repeatedly saying 'no'. Both complainants attributed Ward's elevation to minister for families, communities and disability services in 2019 as a 'breaking point' to report their allegations to police, crown prosecutor Monika Knowles told jurors earlier on Friday. She was addressing the alleged victims' delay in reporting the matter to police, which led to Ward not being charged with the offences until 2022. Both were scared for their jobs if they went to police and feared Ward's 'power', Ms Knowles submitted. She pointed to a conversation one complainant had with a colleague after former Premier Gladys Berejiklian's 2019 state election win. '(They) said to (the colleague) that Gladys had selected a rapist as the minister for children in the cabinet ... upon further questioning (he) said quite seriously that the accused had raped him,' she told the court. The other complainant 'liked the feeling of 'being in'' and was a friend of Ward at the time of the alleged incident, along with an important business contact, the Crown said. The defence closings continue on Monday.


BBC News
2 hours ago
- BBC News
Cartier watch attempted 'bribe' over Great Yarmouth tower dispute
A dispute over a landmark seaside tower led to a "likely" bribe attempt involving a Cartier watch and secret recordings, according to court High Court heard one of the parties in the case even blocked the entrance to a care home with his car to induce his rival to talk to case centred on the ownership and financial arrangements relating to the Atlantis Tower in Great Yarmouth, Norfolk. The man named in civil court as the individual who offered the Cartier watch, Sotiris Christophi, said: "The suggestion that this was a bribe or had any improper purpose is completely at odds with my understanding and intention." The court heard how Mr Christophi, an accountant, and Dr Sanjay Kaushal, a care home owner, fell out after they jointly funded the purchase and redevelopment of the tower in November did this through a company called RP Design and Construction Limited (RPD).Mr Christophi brought the case, arguing he and Dr Kaushal had agreed to split the ownership of the company equally in an oral agreement. Dr Kaushal denied this and said Mr Christophi's financial contribution had been a loan not an investment. Deputy High Court Judge Saira Salimi rejected Mr Christophi's claim. The Atlantis Tower has stood as a landmark on the Great Yarmouth seafront since its construction in the 1960s. The intention was to convert the upper floors into 18 residential flats and then sell section of the property previously been used as a hotel. 'Blocking entrance' By early 2023 Dr Kausal and his former friend, Mr Christophi, were in serious disagreement over the project. Mr Christophi had began to behave "aggressively and unreasonably", Dr Kausal said, and that he felt had been heated meetings and phone calls recorded secretly by Mr Christophi, he told the was alleged that at one point this included Mr Christophi posting negative reviews of a care home owned by Dr Kausal and even blocking its entrance with a latter incident was a pressure tactic to make Dr Kaushal talk to him, the court heard. Dr Kausal also alleged he had even been physically prevented from leaving a room during a meeting between the Christophi told the BBC: "I absolutely reject any suggestion that I intended to intimidate or act unreasonably""I sought dialogue, nothing more, and when that dialogue was repeatedly refused, I did what I believed was necessary to be heard" he added. In April 2023, Mr Christophi gave a Cartier watch to the owner of the company brought in to refurbish the property, Besnik Ademaj, and transferred £50,000 to Mr Ademaj's firm. It was alleged by Dr Kausal this was to induce Mr Ademaj to transfer his shares in Christophi claimed the watch and money were a gesture of trust and friendship, meant to show goodwill during their discussions about transferring watch and money were subsequently returned, according to the Salimi said it was "on the balance of probabilities" an attempt at a bribe "which did not result in success". Mr Christophi, 53, also known as Steve, is linked to a Norwich company at the centre of tax fraud BBC revealed last year how Green Jellyfish had been raided by officers from HM Revenue and Customs (HMRC) and a number of arrests made. Internal company documents described Mr Christophi as a stakeholder in the firm, which is currently being wound House data shows an overlap between Mr Christophi's businesses and Green Jellyfish, including shared premises. Mr Christophi said he had always conducted himself "lawfully and with integrity". "I respect the rule of law, and I respect the judgment, even where I may feel that parts of my side of the story remain untold" he added. Follow Norfolk news on BBC Sounds, Facebook, Instagram and X.


Daily Mail
4 hours ago
- Daily Mail
Discovered vehicle could help solve 25-year-old cold case
Police divers scouring a river bed have found a vehicle that could be linked to the suspected murder of a 15-year-old girl who disappeared 25 years ago. Melissa Trussell and her mother Rosemary Brown, 33, were last seen leaving their home in the northern Adelaide suburb of Blair Athol about 2.30am on May 13, 2000. Rosemary's body was located in the Garden Island mangroves weeks later but Melissa's body was never found. They had a breakthrough when locating a vehicle that could be linked to the case. A section of the front grille was retrieved which could help with identification of the vehicle. Officers are investigating whether the vehicle is connected to the murder of the mother and the suspected killing of the teenager. Attempts might be made to recover the vehicle for further examination with the search to continue for another day, police said. Divers scoured a previously unsearched area of water and mangroves on the island's northern side. 'This search really does show to everyone that we never give up trying to find answers to those investigations,' Detective Superintendent Darren Fielke told reporters. Det Fielke did not know why the area near Garden Island was not searched 25 years ago but a cold case review identified it as a place for further investigation. A number of exhibits obtained in the initial investigation have been resubmitted for forensic testing to see if modern technology might result in new leads. Police believe Melissa and her mother were murdered in 2000, but no one has been charged, or any motive revealed. Det Fielke hopes someone would come forward and explain what happened to the pair. 'Twenty-five years is a long time, a lot of water goes under the bridge, people's allegiances change over time, people forget about it, some people don't forget about it,' he said. 'We are always in there prodding and poking away trying to get a breakthrough.' 'A parent shouldn't outlive their child ... and for a long time Melissa's disappearance has messed me up,' he said. 'I'm hoping some fresh information will finally come to light to help police solve the case.' A reward of $1million is available to anyone who provides information leading to the arrest of a suspect in Melissa's murder or the recovery of her remains. Up to $200,000 is available to anyone with information that leads to the arrest or conviction of those responsible for Rosemary's murder.