Latest news with #GailPatterson
News.com.au
16 minutes ago
- Health
- News.com.au
Erin Patterson trial: Alleged mushroom poisoner called to give evidence by her defence
The woman at the centre of a deadly mushroom lunch in the small Victorian dairy town of Leongatha has taken the stand at her triple-murder trial. Erin Patterson, 50, is facing trial accused of deliberately poisoning a beef Wellington lunch she hosted for her estranged husband's parents and aunt and uncle on July 29, 2023. The mother of two was charged with three counts of murder and one count of attempted murder, after Don Patterson, his wife Gail Patterson and Gail's sister Heather Wilkinson died from organ failure in the week after the meal. Heather's husband, Korumburra Baptist Church long-serving pastor Ian Wilkinson, fell critically ill but recovered. Ms Patterson has pleaded not guilty, with her defence arguing that while the lunch did contain poisonous mushrooms, she did not intentionally poison anyone and the case is actually a tragic accident. On Monday afternoon, after Crown prosecutor Nannette Rogers SC closed the prosecution case with a series of agreed facts, trial judge Justice Christopher Beale turned to Ms Patterson's defence. Barrister Colin Mandy SC rose to his feet and informed the court; 'the defence will call Erin Patterson'. After a short break, jurors returned to the packed Latrobe Valley courtroom, in the town of Morwell, as Ms Patterson began to answer questions about her relationship, struggles with her weight, religious beliefs, motherhood and the lead up to the fatal lunch. Over the following 45 minutes, before the case was adjourned for the day, Ms Patterson kept her eyes fixed on her lawyer as she answered dozens of personal questions. Her voice started off soft, growing in volume and confidence as the minutes ticked over but faulted once when talking about the 'very traumatic' birth of her son in January 2009. Frequently, she would pause for a second or two, her eyes closed, before answering a question. Ms Patterson told the jury she first met her husband Simon Patterson when the pair were working at the Monash City Council in Melbourne in 2004. She said they first began socialising through friends at the council, but the relationship grew deeper through 'conversations about life, religion and politics' while camping together. Describing herself then as a 'fundamental atheist', she said she sought to convert her Christian boyfriend before attending a service from Ian. 'I had a religious experience there and it quite overwhelmed me,' she said. Ms Patterson said she developed a close relationship with Don and Gail and was walked down the aisle by Simon's cousin, David Wilkinson, in June 2007 because her parents were on a train in Russia. Soon after the couple hit the open road, 'meandering' across the country before settling for a time in Perth. Here she said she fell pregnant and their son was born, before continuing their road trip across the top end. After months on the road, Ms Patterson said she'd 'had a gutful' and flew from Townsville back to Perth and the couple separated for the first time. 'What we struggled with over the entire course of our relationship… we just couldn't communicate well when we disagreed about something,' she said. 'So we would just feel hurt and not know how to resolve it.' Ms Patterson is expected to return to the witness box when the hearing resumes on Tuesday. The trial continues.
CNN
31 minutes ago
- Health
- CNN
Woman accused of killing in-laws with toxic mushrooms takes stand for first time
Erin Patterson, the Australian woman accused of killing three people and attempting to kill a fourth with a meal laced with death cap mushrooms, has taken the stand in her own defense at a trial that has captured worldwide attention. On Monday, the start of the sixth week of the trial, Patterson told the court about her relationship with her estranged husband Simon, whose parents, Don and Gail Patterson, were among the guests who died after attending lunch at her house in July 2023. Gail's sister, Heather Wilkinson, also died after eating Beef Wellington at lunch, but her husband, Ian Wilkinson, a pastor at their local church, survived after spending several weeks in hospital with acute poisoning from Amanita phalloides, the world's most toxic mushrooms. Prosecutors allege that Patterson, who has pleaded not guilty to all charges, deliberately laced the beef dish with lethal mushrooms, after seeing their location posted on a public website. Her defense lawyers argue the deaths were a 'terrible accident,' and while they acknowledge Patterson, 50, repeatedly lied to police, they say she didn't intend to kill her guests. The mother of two told the court that her relationship with her husband was merely 'functional' in July 2023, and that she had started becoming concerned that he wasn't involving her in family gatherings anymore. Her self-esteem was low, and she was so unhappy with her weight that she was considering gastric bypass surgery, she told the court. 'I'd been fighting a never-ending battle of low self-esteem most of my adult life, and the further inroads I made into being middle aged, the less I felt good about myself,' she said. Patterson's defense attorney Colin Mandy SC asked her about the start of her relationship with Simon Patterson, the father of their two children. Patterson told the court she met Simon in 2004 at work at Monash City Council, in the Australian state of Victoria. They were friends at first, before a romance developed several months later. They married in 2007, at a service attended by Don and Gail Patterson and Ian and Heather Wilkinson. Erin's parents were on holiday when she got married, so Ian Wilkinson's son David walked her down the aisle, she told the court. Patterson said she was 'very atheist' when she met Simon. 'I was trying to convert him to being an atheist, but things happened in reverse, and I became Christian,' she told the court. She said she had a 'spiritual experience' during her first church service in 2005 at Korumburra Baptist Church, where Pastor Ian Wilkinson delivered the sermon. 'I had what I would call a religious experience there, and it quite overwhelmed me,' she said Patterson recalled the traumatic delivery of her first child, who was born by emergency cesarian, after an attempt with forceps failed. Her son spent some time in the intensive care unit, and Patterson said she discharged herself against medical advice so she could go home to be with her newborn. Patterson spoke about the support Simon's mother Gail gave her as she cared for her son. 'She gave me good advice … relax and enjoy your baby,' she said. When they were living in Perth, Western Australia, the couple briefly separated for the first time. In 2009, Patterson rented a cottage for herself and their baby, she told the court, while her husband rented a trailer close by. They reunited in January 2010. A second baby came later. During the course of their relationship, Patterson told the court there were periods of separation. 'What we struggled with over the entire course or our relationship… we just couldn't communicate well when we disagreed about something,' she said. 'We could never communicate in a way that made each of us feel heard or understood, so we would just feel hurt and not know how to resolve it.' Patterson will resume giving evidence on Tuesday.
CNN
41 minutes ago
- Health
- CNN
Woman accused of killing in-laws with toxic mushrooms takes stand for first time
Erin Patterson, the Australian woman accused of killing three people and attempting to kill a fourth with a meal laced with death cap mushrooms, has taken the stand in her own defense at a trial that has captured worldwide attention. On Monday, the start of the sixth week of the trial, Patterson told the court about her relationship with her estranged husband Simon, whose parents, Don and Gail Patterson, were among the guests who died after attending lunch at her house in July 2023. Gail's sister, Heather Wilkinson, also died after eating Beef Wellington at lunch, but her husband, Ian Wilkinson, a pastor at their local church, survived after spending several weeks in hospital with acute poisoning from Amanita phalloides, the world's most toxic mushrooms. Prosecutors allege that Patterson, who has pleaded not guilty to all charges, deliberately laced the beef dish with lethal mushrooms, after seeing their location posted on a public website. Her defense lawyers argue the deaths were a 'terrible accident,' and while they acknowledge Patterson, 50, repeatedly lied to police, they say she didn't intend to kill her guests. The mother of two told the court that her relationship with her husband was merely 'functional' in July 2023, and that she had started becoming concerned that he wasn't involving her in family gatherings anymore. Her self-esteem was low, and she was so unhappy with her weight that she was considering gastric bypass surgery, she told the court. 'I'd been fighting a never-ending battle of low self-esteem most of my adult life, and the further inroads I made into being middle aged, the less I felt good about myself,' she said. Patterson's defense attorney Colin Mandy SC asked her about the start of her relationship with Simon Patterson, the father of their two children. Patterson told the court she met Simon in 2004 at work at Monash City Council, in the Australian state of Victoria. They were friends at first, before a romance developed several months later. They married in 2007, at a service attended by Don and Gail Patterson and Ian and Heather Wilkinson. Erin's parents were on holiday when she got married, so Ian Wilkinson's son David walked her down the aisle, she told the court. Patterson said she was 'very atheist' when she met Simon. 'I was trying to convert him to being an atheist, but things happened in reverse, and I became Christian,' she told the court. She said she had a 'spiritual experience' during her first church service in 2005 at Korumburra Baptist Church, where Pastor Ian Wilkinson delivered the sermon. 'I had what I would call a religious experience there, and it quite overwhelmed me,' she said Patterson recalled the traumatic delivery of her first child, who was born by emergency cesarian, after an attempt with forceps failed. Her son spent some time in the intensive care unit, and Patterson said she discharged herself against medical advice so she could go home to be with her newborn. Patterson spoke about the support Simon's mother Gail gave her as she cared for her son. 'She gave me good advice … relax and enjoy your baby,' she said. When they were living in Perth, Western Australia, the couple briefly separated for the first time. In 2009, Patterson rented a cottage for herself and their baby, she told the court, while her husband rented a trailer close by. They reunited in January 2010. A second baby came later. During the course of their relationship, Patterson told the court there were periods of separation. 'What we struggled with over the entire course or our relationship… we just couldn't communicate well when we disagreed about something,' she said. 'We could never communicate in a way that made each of us feel heard or understood, so we would just feel hurt and not know how to resolve it.' Patterson will resume giving evidence on Tuesday.
Malay Mail
43 minutes ago
- General
- Malay Mail
Mushroom murder trial: Australian woman accused of killing three gives evidence, cites marital rift
SYDNEY, June 2 — An Australian woman accused of murdering three of her estranged husband's elderly relatives by serving them a lunch laced with poisonous mushrooms began giving evidence during her trial on Monday, in a case that has gripped the nation. Erin Patterson, 50, is charged with the July 2023 murders of her mother-in-law Gail Patterson, father-in-law Donald Patterson and Gail's sister, Heather Wilkinson, along with the attempted murder of Ian Wilkinson, Heather's husband, in a case that has gripped Australia. All four fell ill after a lunch of Beef Wellington, mashed potatoes and green beans, the court has heard. Prosecutors allege the accused laced the meal with highly poisonous death cap mushrooms at her home in Leongatha, a town of around 6,000 people some 135km from Melbourne. Erin Patterson denies the charges, with her defence saying the deaths were a 'terrible accident'. Beginning her evidence towards the end of the day's session, Erin Patterson said on Monday her relationship with estranged husband Simon Patterson had been in difficulty shortly after they married in 2007. 'We could never communicate in a way that would make each of us feel heard and understood,' she told the court. She had also grown apart from Simon's parents, Donald and Gail, at the time of their deaths, she added. 'I had felt for some months that my relationship with the wider Patterson family, particularly Don and Gail, had a bit more distance or space put between us,' she said. Earlier on Monday the prosecution rested its case, following a month of evidence from witnesses, including relatives and medical, forensic and mushroom experts. Simon Patterson gave evidence earlier in the trial, characterising the relationship between him and the accused as strained at the time of the alleged murders. The trial, that began on April 29, has seen intense interest from Australian and international media, with podcasters, journalists and documentary-makers descending on the town of Morwell, around two hours east of Melbourne, where the trial is being held. Erin Patterson is expected to resume her evidence on Tuesday, when the trial continues. — Reuters
CNN
an hour ago
- Health
- CNN
Woman accused of killing in-laws with toxic mushrooms takes stand for first time
Erin Patterson, the Australian woman accused of killing three people and attempting to kill a fourth with a meal laced with death cap mushrooms, has taken the stand in her own defense at a trial that has captured worldwide attention. On Monday, the start of the sixth week of the trial, Patterson told the court about her relationship with her estranged husband Simon, whose parents, Don and Gail Patterson, were among the guests who died after attending lunch at her house in July 2023. Gail's sister, Heather Wilkinson, also died after eating Beef Wellington at lunch, but her husband, Ian Wilkinson, a pastor at their local church, survived after spending several weeks in hospital with acute poisoning from Amanita phalloides, the world's most toxic mushrooms. Prosecutors allege that Patterson, who has pleaded not guilty to all charges, deliberately laced the beef dish with lethal mushrooms, after seeing their location posted on a public website. Her defense lawyers argue the deaths were a 'terrible accident,' and while they acknowledge Patterson, 50, repeatedly lied to police, they say she didn't intend to kill her guests. The mother of two told the court that her relationship with her husband was merely 'functional' in July 2023, and that she had started becoming concerned that he wasn't involving her in family gatherings anymore. Her self-esteem was low, and she was so unhappy with her weight that she was considering gastric bypass surgery, she told the court. 'I'd been fighting a never-ending battle of low self-esteem most of my adult life, and the further inroads I made into being middle aged, the less I felt good about myself,' she said. Patterson's defense attorney Colin Mandy SC asked her about the start of her relationship with Simon Patterson, the father of their two children. Patterson told the court she met Simon in 2004 at work at Monash City Council, in the Australian state of Victoria. They were friends at first, before a romance developed several months later. They married in 2007, at a service attended by Don and Gail Patterson and Ian and Heather Wilkinson. Erin's parents were on holiday when she got married, so Ian Wilkinson's son David walked her down the aisle, she told the court. Patterson said she was 'very atheist' when she met Simon. 'I was trying to convert him to being an atheist, but things happened in reverse, and I became Christian,' she told the court. She said she had a 'spiritual experience' during her first church service in 2005 at Korumburra Baptist Church, where Pastor Ian Wilkinson delivered the sermon. 'I had what I would call a religious experience there, and it quite overwhelmed me,' she said Patterson recalled the traumatic delivery of her first child, who was born by emergency cesarian, after an attempt with forceps failed. Her son spent some time in the intensive care unit, and Patterson said she discharged herself against medical advice so she could go home to be with her newborn. Patterson spoke about the support Simon's mother Gail gave her as she cared for her son. 'She gave me good advice … relax and enjoy your baby,' she said. When they were living in Perth, Western Australia, the couple briefly separated for the first time. In 2009, Patterson rented a cottage for herself and their baby, she told the court, while her husband rented a trailer close by. They reunited in January 2010. A second baby came later. During the course of their relationship, Patterson told the court there were periods of separation. 'What we struggled with over the entire course or our relationship… we just couldn't communicate well when we disagreed about something,' she said. 'We could never communicate in a way that made each of us feel heard or understood, so we would just feel hurt and not know how to resolve it.' Patterson will resume giving evidence on Tuesday.
