Erin Patterson mushroom murder trial LIVE updates: Patterson returns to the stand to give evidence in week six of marathon court case

Daily Mail​

2 days ago

00:37
Microsoft Paint and family troubles: Patterson's first day in the witness box revisited
The Crown closed its case against accused killer Erin Patterson on the Monday in the sixth week of the marathon murder trial.
The defence, led by Colin Mandy SC, called Patterson herself as their first witness.
Patterson told the jury about her rocky relationship with estranged husband Simon Patterson after the pair married in 2007.
Patterson also said she was an atheist but she became interested in religion after meeting and spending time with Simon.
'I was what you'd probably call a fundamentalist atheist,' she said.
Patterson said her attitude to religion changed in early 2005.
The jury heard Patterson and Simon had a lot of conversations about religion.
Patterson was trying to convert Simon into an atheist
'But things went in reverse and I became a Christian,' she said.
She recalled her visit to Korumburra Baptist Church.
'I remember being really excited about it,' she said.
Patterson recalled there was a banner on the wall behind where Ian Wilkinson was preaching.
'It said faith, hope and love,' she said.
Patterson said Mr Wilkinson gave a sermon about this banner.
She had communion and was welcomed to participate in it.
'I had what can basically be described as a spiritual experience,' she said.
'It had been an intellectual experience until then.'
Patterson also told the jury she felt there had been a 'bit more space or distance put between' her and husband's parents, Gail and Don Patterson, at the start of 2023.
'We saw each other less,' she said.
She said her relationship with Simon since the start of 2023 was 'functional'.
Patterson said she only dealt with Simon regarding logistics, church and the kids.
'We didn't relate on friend things, banter,' Patterson said.
'I'd been fighting a never-ending battle of low self-esteem most of my adult life, (I had) put on more weight, could handle exercise less (as I entered middle-age).'
Patterson also told the jury she was financially 'comfortable' and planned to have weight loss surgery.
The court heard Patterson initially designed her Leongatha home using Microsoft Paint.
She said she designed the property with her kids' needs in mind but also decided the home – where the deadly lunch was served – would be her last.
'That I'd grow old there was what I hoped,' she said.
Everything you need to know about the Erin Patterson mushroom murder trial so far
Erin 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, was also invited to the gathering at her home in Leongatha, in Victoria's Gippsland region, but didn't attend.
Witnesses told the jury Patterson ate her serving from a smaller, differently-coloured plate than 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.
Victoria's health department said the death cap mushroom poisoning was 'isolated' to Patterson's deadly lunch.
Multiple witnesses, including Erin's estranged husband, Heather's husband and other family members, have given emotionally-charged evidence to the jury.
Medical staff have told the jury of the painful symptoms the dying lunch guests and Mr Wilkinson suffered.
An expert witness told the court that death cap mushrooms were detected in debris taken from a dehydrator Patterson had allegedly dumped at a local tip.
Telecommunications expert Dr Matthew Sorell also told the jury Patterson's phone was detected near areas at Outtrim and Loch, in the Gippsland region, where death cap mushrooms had been spotted.
Victoria Police Cybercrime Squad senior digital forensics officer Shamen Fox-Henry said he found evidence of a death cap mushroom on data from a computer seized from Patterson's Leongatha home on August 5, 2023.
On Friday, Austin Hospital intensive care director Professor Stephen Warrillow told the jury he was at the Melbourne health facility in July 2023 when the poisoned lunch guests were transferred to his care.
Professor Warrillow said all patients were given intense treatment and Don received a liver transplant.
Ian Wilkinson sat in court and listened as details of how his wife died from death cap poisoning were aired in court.
The jury also heard the text exchanges between health department officer Sally Anne Atkinson and Patterson in the days after the deadly lunch as authorities rushed to get answers.
On Tuesday, the jury was shown the police interview Patterson took part in shortly after her home was searched on August 5.
Detectives seized a manual for a Sunbeam hydrator but Patterson denied in her interview that she had ever owned such an appliance.
Patterson also told police she invited her in-laws for lunch because she loved them and they were like real family to her.
Homicide Squad detective leading Senior Constable Stephen Eppingstall told the court officers searched for a Samsung Galaxy A23 – known as 'Phone A' – but it was never found.
Sen-Constable Eppingstall also said another Samsung Galaxy A23 – known as 'Phone B' – was factory reset multiple times including while police searched Patterson's Leongatha home.
He said Phone B was later remotely wiped while it was kept in a secure locker at the Homicide Squad headquarters in Melbourne.
The jury also heard Patterson's family had a history of cancer and her daughter had a benign ovarian cancer cyst removed.
On Thursday, lead defence barrister Colin Mandy SC suggested to Sen-Constable Eppingstall that a photo taken during the Leongatha police search depicted the mysterious Phone A.
Mr Mandy also highlighted other devices he suggested police failed to seize including laptops and a USB stick.
Later, the jury heard Facebook messages between Patterson and her online friends in which they discussed Simon, pets and the death of actress Kirstie Alley.
The jury also heard Signal messages between Don and Erin in which Don and Gail (pictured) wished Patterson well and also prayed for her health.
On Friday, the jury heard more messages between Erin, Don, Gail and Simon.
They discussed Patterson's health and Don also offered to help tutor Erin's son.
Erin also praised Gail in another message.
'Happy Mother's Day to the best mother-in-law anyone could ever ask for,' Erin wrote.
Late on Monday, the Crown led by Dr Nanette Rogers (pictured) closed it's case and Patterson herself entered the witness box.
The trial continues.