Latest news with #KeliLane
Daily Mail
a day ago
- Daily Mail
EXCLUSIVE For decades, Patrick stood by childhood sweetheart and convicted baby killer, Keli Lane. Suddenly, out of the blue, it's cost him his job. Now he wants to know why he's been DUMPED after 30 years as a school's PE teacher
Mystery surrounds why the long-time partner of convicted baby killer Keli Lane was suddenly dismissed by the Sydney north shore school where he taught for 30 years. Veteran PE teacher Patrick Cogan, 50, was escorted off the premises from the Chatswood campus of St Pius School without any official explanation last month. It's believed his ongoing relationship with Lane is at the centre of the controversy, although it's understood no formal reason has been given to him. But Mr Cogan has loyally stood by Lane for years, even after her trial and murder conviction, and the couple made no secret of their relationship. Sources close to the couple have told Daily Mail Australia their high-profile public past has made the decision to unexpectedly stand him down now 'simply baffling'. 'It makes no sense though because Pat's support for Keli is not new and it certainly has no reflection on his teaching ability,' a school insider said. 'He never brings it up at work and is well respected by his students and other teachers. It's completely out of the blue. 'I'd be willing to hedge a bet there were no external complaints made.' The school has declined to shed any light on the reason for the axing, and declined to comment when contacted by Daily Mail Australia. School staff were said to be 'blindsided' by the decision, which was not even officially announced to students who were left in the dark over his sudden disappearance. The school insider claims it may stem from an entirely separate case to Lane's conviction, which can't be discussed for legal reasons. 'Nothing has been said and the kids were all left scratching their heads wondering where he had gone,' the insider said. 'Most found out in the media and still don't really understand it. 'Patrick is a bit lost now. Being a sports teacher is all he has ever known and not to have that each day is a massive adjustment. 'He has never been warned about his relationship with Keli before.' Mr Cogan was Lane's childhood sweetheart and the pair grew up together in Sydney's northern beaches and dated as teenagers, reuniting years later. He was already a key part of Lane's life when she concealed a series of five pregnancies between the ages of 17 and 24. The couple reconnected and began dating again while Lane was under police investigation. He was by her side when she was arrested in 2009 for murdering her baby daughter Tegan in 1996. She left the hospital with the baby in secret and returned home alone hours later, but claimed she had given the child to its father, a mystery man called Andrew Norris who proved untraceable, and she never saw either again. Mr Cogan sat in the public gallery almost every day during her four-month trial and sent her long-stemmed roses when he couldn't attend. The trial made international headlines - but Mr Cogan never doubted his girlfriend's innocence, publicly pledging his allegiance and unwavering love. When she was jailed for 18 years in 2011, Lane's eyes searched the courtroom as she was sentenced before she turned to her mum and asked: 'Where's Patrick?' Lane was originally due for parole in May 2024 but her bid was rejected under the 'no body, no parole' laws introduced in 2022. Mr Cogan has been a regular on Lane's visitor log since then and speak almost daily on the phone while also sending reams of love letters to each other. Lane walked free from jail after almost 14 years behind bars when she was granted weekend release and she returned straight into the arms of her devoted partner. Mr Cogan is now Lane's sponsor for her weekend release from jail where they stay at his $2.6million home on Sydney's northern beaches. The couple were spotted enjoying the autumn sun at Fairlight Beach Rockpool near Manly in April where Lane donned a tropical-themed bikini and electronic ankle monitor. 'The silver lining is that Keli now gets weekend release and that's been his focus, building their relationship on the outside,' the source said. 'They are like a couple of giddy teens in love. Keli has been supporting him and he is so grateful for her. The insider added: 'If anything, a lot of his peers see his loyalty as a testament to his character. 'All these years on, they are still together and that says a lot about their relationship.' Mr Cogan has since lodged a complaint against the school with the Fair Work Commission and is due to appear in court in July.
The Age
05-05-2025
- The Age
Erin Patterson trial LIVE updates: Accused regularly used mushrooms in kitchen; asked online friends for advice on cooking beef Wellington
2.51pm 'Controlling, coercive': How Erin described Simon to her online friends By Marta Pascual Juanola Defence barrister Colin Mandy, SC, has begun cross-examining Christine Hunt, and asks about the smaller, splinter group that emerged from the initial Keli Lane true crime group. 'It was very social but still discussed societal matters,' Hunt said of the smaller group. Hunt said Erin posted photos and videos of her children to the group. Erin's life, Hunt told the court, appeared to revolve around her being a mother, and she came across as attentive. Although Hunt never met Erin in person, she said she regarded her relationship with Erin to be good. She told the jury Erin had described Simon as 'controlling' and 'coercive' on several occasions. 'They are the two words that I really do recall strongly that were used repeatedly,' she said. Asked by Mandy whether Erin held religious beliefs, Hunt said the accused woman was 'two-sided' about it. 'She went to church, is the impression I got, because of the family situation. But she was saying to us, publicly in that group, that she didn't necessarily believe in God,' Hunt said. 2.41pm Witness details Erin's challenges dealing with Simon's faith By Marta Pascual Juanola Now that he has finished giving evidence, Simon Patterson has taken a seat in the court with his extended family. He watched as the new witness Christine Hunt, appearing via video link, said Erin had told the online group that she had grown apart from Simon. 'I understood that she was self-sufficient, although she had some concerns about him paying his share, I guess is how you put it, and that he was very controlling, and she used the word 'coercive' at times,' Hunt said. 'And also, that his family were very demanding, and that she was really challenged by their demands and particularly around the kids attending a faith-based education.' Hunt said Erin felt unsettled whenever her children were away from her. She also said Erin had expressed the challenges she found in Simon's Baptist background. 'She found that challenging, and in particular the decisions around things like divorce, separation, how the kids should be educated and brought up. She found all that very controlling and demanding,' Hunt said. 2.33pm Erin renowned as a 'super sleuth' among her true crime group By Marta Pascual Juanola Evidence has resumed after lunch and the new witness, Christine Hunt, has told the jury she met Erin Patterson about six years ago through a true crime Facebook group dedicated to information about the trial of convicted murderer Keli Lane. The group initially had about 2000 members, but it eventually reduced to about 20 or 30 people. Hunt told the jury about how Erin changed her Facebook name three times, from Erin Patterson to 'Erin Erin' and later 'Erin Erin Erin'. 'It was mostly around current affairs. What was happening in the world? A lot of discussion around royalty, politics, crime and a lot of personal stories. So we got to know each other. It was a small enough group where we really get kind of leaning into each other's lives and we're a support for each other,' Hunt said of the group. Hunt said Erin would often share information about her children, her husband and her life struggles about being a single mother. The witness described Erin as a 'super sleuth'. 'She was well regarded. She was a really good researcher. So she in the group, in the earlier times when we would … be focused on true crime, she was well known to be able to research and get information quickly from the internet. So she was a bit of a super sleuth,' Hunt said. Eventually, the group was dissolved, the court heard, and a group of between seven and 15 members began.
