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The Age
18 hours ago
- The Age
How police raked over nearly every aspect of mushroom cook Erin Patterson's life
When homicide squad detectives came knocking with a search warrant in hand to seize items from accused killer Erin Patterson's home, they say they arrived prepared. The warrant listed electronic devices as items of interest after two guests who ate lunch at her Leongatha home days earlier had died and two others lay critically ill in hospital with their organs shutting down from mushroom poisoning. 'We seized everything we saw,' Detective Leading Senior Constable Stephen Eppingstall told a jury in Patterson's triple-murder trial in Morwell, in Victoria's south-east, this week. During their four-hour search of Patterson's home, police seized devices, including computers and mobile phones, and SIM cards. They also found a RecipeTin Eats cookbook, which included a food-spattered page for a beef Wellington recipe. Raking over many aspects of the accused's life, police collected CCTV footage, banking records, purchases made with a Woolworths rewards card, web browser history, medical records and messages to friends and family. The mobile phone messages Patterson, 50, frequently messaged her in-laws – Don and Gail Patterson, parents of her estranged husband, Simon Patterson – in the year leading up to their alleged murders, speaking regularly with them about health matters and her two young children. 'Happy Mother's Day to the best mother-in-law anyone could wish for,' Erin wrote to Gail on May 8, 2022. 'Very kind of you xo,' Gail replied. In Signal messages, police also found conversations between Erin, Don and Simon about various health concerns Erin had. In messages between Erin and Simon, they chatted about their children's basketball games. Erin expressed the desire for Simon to come and watch the games even if that meant he missed his Bible study classes. Don, the court heard, had also been tutoring his teenage grandson in mathematics. In messages between Don and Erin between January 1 and 15, 2022, they discussed Erin's health. 'Sorry to hear about your back problems. Hope and pray it gets better quickly. It was great to chat with the kids this morning,' messaged Don, who was a member of the local Baptist church, along with his wife and other family members. Erin thanked him and said she had had a terrible day the day before. 'We will keep praying that He keeps you all in good health,' Don replied. She also messaged Don about COVID-19 cases in the area and warned him to be careful when out and about. 'There's so much virus in our community right now,' she said. In another message, Don inquired after Erin's health again: 'Hope your health is OK and that they get to the bottom of your problem. Love Don and Gail.' It was August 3, 2023, when Eppingstall and his team of homicide detectives formally took over the case. This, he told the jury, was once they had learned of a mass food-poisoning event at a Leongatha family lunch on July 29, 2023. Within hours of taking on the case, he said, Heather Wilkinson, Gail's sister, had died, and Gail and Don soon followed. Ian Wilkinson, Heather's husband, survived. The medical records Police allege Patterson falsely claimed to have cancer to lure her guests to lunch. Officers scoured medical records, including the Victorian cancer database and doctor and hospital records, to confirm she had never been diagnosed with cancer. Text messages show Gail inquiring about a medical appointment Erin said she had. 'Hi Erin, just wondering how you got on at your appointment today. Love Gail and Don'. Erin replied: 'Hi Gail, sorry I had taken [her daughter] to see a movie last night, we saw The Little Mermaid, the appointment went OK … I had a needle biopsy of the lump and am returning for an MRI next. Will know more after that.' Eppingstall said there were no records of medical appointments on that day. The following day, June 29, 2023, Gail replied: 'That's a test of patience isn't it. Praying you'll know God's peace.' The following week, the two women further discussed the lump. The accused said there was 'a lot to digest' and she might talk to her mother-in-law about it when she next saw her in person. The grocery receipts Detectives knew what Patterson and her family had eaten, her Woolworths supermarket purchases and even her fast-food buys in the hours and days after the fatal lunch. Eppingstall said CCTV footage that police had collected showed Patterson driving, stopping at stores and Leongatha hospital in the 48 hours that followed the cooking of the fatal beef Wellington meal. The homicide detective said bank records also revealed Patterson bought food at a doughnut van and service station after the lunch. The records capture $15.10 spent at a BP service station in Caldermeade, where a ham, cheese and tomato sandwich, and a sweet chilli chicken wrap were bought. A second record, dated in the bank records as August 1, shows $13.10 was spent at a doughnut van in Koo Wee Rup. Even receipts for a family meal ordered from the Korumburra Top Hotel – garlic bread and chicken parmigianas – were collected into evidence. On her Woolworths rewards card, police say they found Patterson's recent grocery visits, where items including pastry, mushrooms, onions, meat, beans and potatoes were purchased in the days leading up to the lunch. The phone records Police then used Patterson's phone records and local phone towers to try to track her movements, alleging her phone pinged a tower near a public sighting of death cap mushrooms, published on a nature website months before the meal. Police trawled through several of Patterson's devices, including computers, tablets and mobile phones – but say one of Patterson's phones was never found. And as one of her Samsung mobile phones lay inside an evidence bag in Eppingstall's locked police station locker, it was remotely wiped, the prosecution allege. Phone evidence given by the proseuction regarding a missing phone that was never found PHONE 1 - Samsung Galaxy - called the 'A23' phone - found in son's bedroom cupboard during August 5, 2023 search warrant. PHONE 2 - Samsung Galaxy - called 'Phone A' - seen with Erin Patterson in footage taken from CCTV at Leongatha hospital. Pink case. Never found. PHONE 3 - Samsung Galaxy - called 'Phone B' - physically handed to police during a search warrant on August 5, 2023. Orange/red case. PHONE 4 - Nokia smartphone - SIM card from 'Phone A' allegedly put into this phone during the house raid on August 5, 2023- at 1.45pm - and used afterwards. The interview On August 5, 2023, Patterson was interviewed by police, the recording of which was played to the jury this week. In the interview room, Eppingstall and another detective asked her why she had not fallen ill while the other lunch guests had. 'I've never been in a situation like this before, I've been very, very helpful with the Health Department during the week ... because I do want to know what happened. I've given them as much info as they've asked for,' she responded. When told her ex-partner, Simon, had raised questions over why Erin had invited his parents to lunch, she said: 'They've always been very good to me. I want to maintain those relationships, despite what's happening with Simon. I love them a lot. They've always been really good to me and always said they would support me. Loading 'I really appreciated that because both my parents are gone, my grandparents are all gone, they're the only family that I've got. 'I think Simon hated that. 'I love them. Nothing he's [Simon] ever done to me will change the fact they're good, decent people.' Patterson has pleaded not guilty to three charges of murder and one charge of attempted murder. The trial continues.
Sydney Morning Herald
18 hours ago
- Sydney Morning Herald
How police raked over nearly every aspect of mushroom cook Erin Patterson's life
When homicide squad detectives came knocking with a search warrant in hand to seize items from accused killer Erin Patterson's home, they say they arrived prepared. The warrant listed electronic devices as items of interest after two guests who ate lunch at her Leongatha home days earlier had died and two others lay critically ill in hospital with their organs shutting down from mushroom poisoning. 'We seized everything we saw,' Detective Leading Senior Constable Stephen Eppingstall told a jury in Patterson's triple-murder trial in Morwell, in Victoria's south-east, this week. During their four-hour search of Patterson's home, police seized devices, including computers and mobile phones, and SIM cards. They also found a RecipeTin Eats cookbook, which included a food-spattered page for a beef Wellington recipe. Raking over many aspects of the accused's life, police collected CCTV footage, banking records, purchases made with a Woolworths rewards card, web browser history, medical records and messages to friends and family. The mobile phone messages Patterson, 50, frequently messaged her in-laws – Don and Gail Patterson, parents of her estranged husband, Simon Patterson – in the year leading up to their alleged murders, speaking regularly with them about health matters and her two young children. 'Happy Mother's Day to the best mother-in-law anyone could wish for,' Erin wrote to Gail on May 8, 2022. 'Very kind of you xo,' Gail replied. In Signal messages, police also found conversations between Erin, Don and Simon about various health concerns Erin had. In messages between Erin and Simon, they chatted about their children's basketball games. Erin expressed the desire for Simon to come and watch the games even if that meant he missed his Bible study classes. Don, the court heard, had also been tutoring his teenage grandson in mathematics. In messages between Don and Erin between January 1 and 15, 2022, they discussed Erin's health. 'Sorry to hear about your back problems. Hope and pray it gets better quickly. It was great to chat with the kids this morning,' messaged Don, who was a member of the local Baptist church, along with his wife and other family members. Erin thanked him and said she had had a terrible day the day before. 'We will keep praying that He keeps you all in good health,' Don replied. She also messaged Don about COVID-19 cases in the area and warned him to be careful when out and about. 'There's so much virus in our community right now,' she said. In another message, Don inquired after Erin's health again: 'Hope your health is OK and that they get to the bottom of your problem. Love Don and Gail.' It was August 3, 2023, when Eppingstall and his team of homicide detectives formally took over the case. This, he told the jury, was once they had learned of a mass food-poisoning event at a Leongatha family lunch on July 29, 2023. Within hours of taking on the case, he said, Heather Wilkinson, Gail's sister, had died, and Gail and Don soon followed. Ian Wilkinson, Heather's husband, survived. The medical records Police allege Patterson falsely claimed to have cancer to lure her guests to lunch. Officers scoured medical records, including the Victorian cancer database and doctor and hospital records, to confirm she had never been diagnosed with cancer. Text messages show Gail inquiring about a medical appointment Erin said she had. 'Hi Erin, just wondering how you got on at your appointment today. Love Gail and Don'. Erin replied: 'Hi Gail, sorry I had taken [her daughter] to see a movie last night, we saw The Little Mermaid, the appointment went OK … I had a needle biopsy of the lump and am returning for an MRI next. Will know more after that.' Eppingstall said there were no records of medical appointments on that day. The following day, June 29, 2023, Gail replied: 'That's a test of patience isn't it. Praying you'll know God's peace.' The following week, the two women further discussed the lump. The accused said there was 'a lot to digest' and she might talk to her mother-in-law about it when she next saw her in person. The grocery receipts Detectives knew what Patterson and her family had eaten, her Woolworths supermarket purchases and even her fast-food buys in the hours and days after the fatal lunch. Eppingstall said CCTV footage that police had collected showed Patterson driving, stopping at stores and Leongatha hospital in the 48 hours that followed the cooking of the fatal beef Wellington meal. The homicide detective said bank records also revealed Patterson bought food at a doughnut van and service station after the lunch. The records capture $15.10 spent at a BP service station in Caldermeade, where a ham, cheese and tomato sandwich, and a sweet chilli chicken wrap were bought. A second record, dated in the bank records as August 1, shows $13.10 was spent at a doughnut van in Koo Wee Rup. Even receipts for a family meal ordered from the Korumburra Top Hotel – garlic bread and chicken parmigianas – were collected into evidence. On her Woolworths rewards card, police say they found Patterson's recent grocery visits, where items including pastry, mushrooms, onions, meat, beans and potatoes were purchased in the days leading up to the lunch. The phone records Police then used Patterson's phone records and local phone towers to try to track her movements, alleging her phone pinged a tower near a public sighting of death cap mushrooms, published on a nature website months before the meal. Police trawled through several of Patterson's devices, including computers, tablets and mobile phones – but say one of Patterson's phones was never found. And as one of her Samsung mobile phones lay inside an evidence bag in Eppingstall's locked police station locker, it was remotely wiped, the prosecution allege. Phone evidence given by the proseuction regarding a missing phone that was never found PHONE 1 - Samsung Galaxy - called the 'A23' phone - found in son's bedroom cupboard during August 5, 2023 search warrant. PHONE 2 - Samsung Galaxy - called 'Phone A' - seen with Erin Patterson in footage taken from CCTV at Leongatha hospital. Pink case. Never found. PHONE 3 - Samsung Galaxy - called 'Phone B' - physically handed to police during a search warrant on August 5, 2023. Orange/red case. PHONE 4 - Nokia smartphone - SIM card from 'Phone A' allegedly put into this phone during the house raid on August 5, 2023- at 1.45pm - and used afterwards. The interview On August 5, 2023, Patterson was interviewed by police, the recording of which was played to the jury this week. In the interview room, Eppingstall and another detective asked her why she had not fallen ill while the other lunch guests had. 'I've never been in a situation like this before, I've been very, very helpful with the Health Department during the week ... because I do want to know what happened. I've given them as much info as they've asked for,' she responded. When told her ex-partner, Simon, had raised questions over why Erin had invited his parents to lunch, she said: 'They've always been very good to me. I want to maintain those relationships, despite what's happening with Simon. I love them a lot. They've always been really good to me and always said they would support me. Loading 'I really appreciated that because both my parents are gone, my grandparents are all gone, they're the only family that I've got. 'I think Simon hated that. 'I love them. Nothing he's [Simon] ever done to me will change the fact they're good, decent people.' Patterson has pleaded not guilty to three charges of murder and one charge of attempted murder. The trial continues.
7NEWS
2 days ago
- Business
- 7NEWS
Brooki Bakehouse owner Brooke Bellamy announces new Brisbane and Gold Coast stores alongside international pop-up in UAE
Celebrity baker Brooke Bellamy has announced a string of new stores following plagiarism allegations earlier this year. The Brisbane -based cookie influencer is set to open two new stores in Queensland next month, as well as a new international pop-up store. The new stores in Queensland will be located at Pacific Fair shopping centre in Broadbeach on the Gold Coast and at Westfield Garden City in Upper Mt Gravatt. The international pop-up will open in the UAE by the end of the year, following other successful pop-ups in the Middle East. accused Brooke Bellamy, who founded Brooki Bakehouse, of reproducing recipes from the RecipeTin Eats website and other authors in her book Bake With Brooki. Sally McKenney, the baker behind Sally's Baking Addiction, also accused Bellamy of copying a recipe. Bellamy and Penguin Random House Australia, which published the book, denied the allegations. 'This is a story about a multimillion-dollar cookbook by a social media influencer, published by a blue-chip publisher, featuring numerous recipes that, in my opinion, are plagiarised, given the detailed and extensive word-for-word similarities to mine and those of other authors,' Maehashi said at the time. Bellamy addressed the controversy on Saturday, announcing she was ready to get back to her bakery. 'I've never experienced something like I have over the last few weeks,' she told her two million supporters on TikTok. 'When I was invited to make a cookbook, I was really excited to share all the recipes I've been making since I was small.' Bellamy said while she had been inspired and influenced by bakeries and bakers the world over, her biggest inspiration was her mother, who taught her how to cook and bake. 'These recipes have been written down on paper, handed to me by friends and family, they get passed down by generations, they get scaled up and scaled down in the bakery settings. 'While all of these recipes are personal to me, I cannot say that I have invented the cookies, cupcakes, brownies, or cakes in the recipe book. 'They are all inspired from somewhere and someone before me.' Brooki Bakehouse's celebrated its third birthday on Saturday at their Valley location in Brisbane, with people lining up in the early hours of the morning for free cookies and to snap a picture with Bellamy. There are no known legal proceedings against Bellamy at this time.
Sydney Morning Herald
2 days ago
- Entertainment
- Sydney Morning Herald
Even Martha Stewart was made to wait for a table at Totti's
Italians might have taught the world how to eat, but it was Martha Stewart who taught Americans how to cook. And garden. And entertain. Stewart, the OG lifestyle influencer, the United States' first female self-made billionaire, convicted felon and octogenarian social media star was on stage at Darling Harbour on Wednesday night, interviewed by writer Benjamin Law as part of Vivid Sydney. Her appearance, fresh on the heels of a hit Netflix documentary, was quite a coup for the festival which has seen its sheen dim in recent years. Lately, it's become better known for annoying crowds and price hikes now that the novelty value of 'bright lights in city' has worn off. On stage, Stewart weighed into the ongoing recipe feud between Nagi Maehashi (aka RecipeTin Eats) and TikToker Brooke Bellamy (aka Brooki Bakehouse), but wisely chose not to definitively pick a side. She also had a few words on the state of dining in Sydney, revealing that she'd eaten at Totti's Bondi, Justin Hemmes' influencer-friendly long lunch hotspot. Loading But in true Sydney fashion, Stewart had been made to wait outside for a table. The height of disrespect, in our book. Martha Stewart walked so Totti's, and its famous bread, could run. That said, Stewart did wax lyrical about said bread and the bottarga. And no other Sydney establishments got a shoutout on stage – the kind of good PR not even Hemmes' billions could buy.
Daily Mail
3 days ago
- Business
- Daily Mail
Martha Stewart's VERY interesting take on the RecipeTin Eats scandal after founder Nagi Maehashi accused baker Brooke Bellamy of plagiarism
Martha Stewart has weighed in on the RecipeTin Eats plagiarism scandal after Brooke Bellamy was accused of copying the recipes of fellow Australian cook Nagi Maehashi. The celebrity chef, 83, said during her live event at Sydney 's ICC on Wednesday night that it is hard to prove a recipe is copied. 'I have so many recipes and it's hard to develop a recipe without having a repertoire behind it,' she told the audience. 'I don't think too many recipes are owned by anybody, they are handed down, used and changed.' However, Martha claimed that it can be considered plagiarism if a recipe is 'copied word for word'. From A-list scandals and red carpet mishaps to exclusive pictures and viral moments, subscribe to the DailyMail's new showbiz newsletter to stay in the loop. 'If you print somebody else's recipe word for word in your own cookbook then it might be plagiarism but I think it's very hard to prove who actually came up with that recipe,' she continued. 'So unless they are word for word, you can't say they're yours.' It comes after a second author accused social media cooking sensation Brooke of stealing recipes for her bestselling cookbook Bake With Brooki. Hours after RecipeTin Eats' Nagi raised allegations of copyright infringement last month, Sally McKenney, the US author and blogger behind Sally's Baking Addiction, also levelled claims. Bellamy, who owns the popular Brooki Bakehouse in Brisbane, denied the accusations, saying she had been making and selling her recipes well before Maehashi's were published. The allegations relate to Maehashi's caramel slice and baklava recipe, along with McKenney's Best Vanilla Cake recipe. McKenney posted on social media, saying she was first alerted to the similarity months ago. She said her recipe was first published in 2019. 'One of my recipes was also plagiarised in this book and also appears on the author's YouTube channel,' she said. 'Original recipe creators who put in the work to develop and test recipes deserve credit - especially in a best selling cookbook.' Bake With Brooki is a bestselling cookbook published by Penguin in October last year and retails for $49.99. Bellamy quickly became a global sensation after sharing videos on TikTok, which receive millions of views each day. She is best known for her cookies and has opened pop-up stores in Abu Dhabi and Dubai. Both Penguin and Bellamy deny the allegations. 'I did not plagiarise any recipes in my book which consists of 100 recipes I have created over many years,' she said. 'In 2016, I opened my first bakery. I have been creating my recipes and selling them commercially since October 2016.' Bellamy posted an image showing her caramel slice, which dated back to December, 2016. 'On March 2020, RecipeTin Eats published a recipe for caramel slice. It uses the same ingredients as my recipe, which I have been making and selling since four years prior,' she said. While the Brisbane baker insisted she did not copy the recipes, she 'immediately offered' to remove both from future reprints to prevent further aggravation'. In Maehashi's Instagram post, she described Bellamy of 'profiting' from the alleged plagiarised recipes. Maehashi claims she first raised concerns with Penguin in December. 'I put a huge amount of effort into my recipes. And I share them on my website for anyone to use for free,' she said. 'To see them plagiarised (in my view) and used in a book for profit, without credit, doesn't just feel unfair. It feels like a blatant exploitation of my work.' Maehashi is the founder of popular website, RecipeTin Eats, which has 1.5 million followers on Instagram. She is also the author of award-winning cookbooks Dinner and Tonight.
