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Daily Mail
16-05-2025
- Daily Mail
EXCLUSIVE The Trial of Erin Patterson: Australian lawyer joins new Mail podcast to explain 'unusual' dismissal of rogue juror
On the latest installment of the 'The Trial of Erin Patterson ' podcast, court reporter Wayne Flower and award-winning crime correspondent Caroline Cheetham were joined by lawyer Paul Svilans to discuss the 'unusual' dismissal of a juror from the court. Australian mother-of-three Erin Patterson stands accused of murdering three relatives with a poisonous mushroom-laced beef Wellington meal. She has pleaded not guilty to all charges. The juror, known only as juror 84, was discharged from the case after Justice Christopher Beale said he received credible evidence the person was discussing the facts of the trial with family and friends. Australian law requires jurors to shield themselves from outside influence throughout the trial to ensure their decision-making remains unprejudiced. WATCH: The Trial of Erin Patterson podcast Lawyer Paul Svilans joined 'The Trial' podcast to discuss the 'unusual' dismissal of a juror from the court. Listen here In practice, this means avoiding media coverage of the case and refraining from discussing trial details outside the courtroom. Lawyer Paul Svilans, from Australian firm Mark O'Brien Legal, joined 'The Trial' podcast to explain the legal basis behind the juror's removal and why it's 'unusual' for somebody to leave a trial in this manner. 'I think it's fair to say that it's certainly unusual', Mr Svilans began. 'It's not necessarily significant - but it's unusual because of the reasons given by the judge as to why the discharge was going to take place. 'The whole point about having the additional or spare jurors was to take into account circumstances that might necessitate a discharge, sickness, those kinds of things. 'It's unusual because of the reasons his Honor gave as to why the discharge would take place. Whether it's significant or not, who knows?' Mr Svilans then explained why it's so important for jurors not to discuss details of an ongoing trial with friends and family. 'The jurors are told at the commencement of the trial that they are only allowed to consider the evidence that is laid before them in court', he said. 'It is so important that Ms Patterson has a fair trial and the only way that she can have a fair trial is if the juror makes his or her decision based only on the evidence and nothing else. 'The danger is always, if jurors are allowed to discuss evidence with people outside the jury, persons might seek to influence their decision. 'That could lead to an unfair verdict for the accused, so it is sacrosanct that jurors do not discuss the evidence with anyone else. 'They must make their decision based only on what they see and hear in court.' The lawyer noted an important distinction made by Judge Beale as he dismissed the anonymous juror. 'The judge made no finding either way about the juror', Mr Svilans emphasised. 'All he said was that there was credible information… there's no positive finding that they were discussing the case with friends or family. He just couldn't dismiss the possibility.' The trial continues. Erin Patterson has denied the charges against her. Listen to the full interview with lawyer Paul Svilans on the latest episode of 'The Trial of Erin Patterson', available now, wherever you get your podcasts.
Daily Mail
13-05-2025
- Daily Mail
EXCLUSIVE Erin Patterson trial: What are DEATH CAP mushrooms? The deadly fungi at centre of landmark murder case
On the latest episode of The Mail's The Trial of Erin Patterson podcast, reporters Wayne Flower and Caroline Cheetham analyse the recent testimony of mushroom expert Dr Tom May. Australian mother-of-three Erin Patterson stands accused of murdering three relatives with a poisoned beef Wellington meal. Not only was Dr May called to the witness stand for his expertise, but also for his relevance to the case, having potentially provided information on an app that inadvertently led to the foraging of the toxic mushrooms that may have been used in the poisoning. The mycologist told the court that the day before the poisoning, he had posted the location of some rare Death Cap mushrooms he had spotted on a walk not too far from Erin Patterson's home. He shared the exact geolocation of the mushrooms on iNaturalist, an app used by a community of professional botanists and hobbyists to discuss and debate discoveries they have made in the natural world. WATCH: The Trial of Erin Patterson podcast The prosecution claims that Patterson's phone was tracked to the same area Dr May had flagged on the app, the morning of the toxic lunch that left three people dead. However, under cross-examination by Patterson's lawyer, Dr May said that even for experienced foragers, Death Caps are hard to identify and store. This casts doubt over whether Patterson would have been able to collect the mushrooms using the limited information the app provided. Dr May also said that it was possible the mushrooms could have been used as an ingredient by mistake. The trial continues. Erin Patterson has denied the charges against her. What are Death Cap Mushrooms? Amanita phalloides, known by their common name, Death Cap mushrooms, are one of the most dangerous fungi on Earth. They account for the majority of fatal mushroom poisonings globally. The fungi were native to Europe but have since spread across the world due to globalisation. The mushrooms are difficult to identify, often being mistaken by foragers for different species. They can sometimes be spotted through their distinctive yellowish green colour, although this varies from mushroom to mushroom. What makes Death Caps so deadly are amatoxins, which work to disrupt the normal functioning of cells. Symptoms of poisoning at first include vomiting and diarrhoea, progressing slowly to liver and kidney failure. Without medical intervention, death usually occurs within a week of consumption. Treatment for poisoning focuses on supporting the liver with fluids and drugs. A feature of Death Caps is that the poison within them is heat resistant. This means that, even when cooked, they are still as deadly. Listen to the full breakdown of Dr Tom May's testimony on the latest episode of The Trial of Erin Patterson, available now, wherever you get your podcasts.
Daily Mail
08-05-2025
- Daily Mail
EXCLUSIVE New Mail podcast reveals Erin Patterson's reaction to testimony of Ian Wilkinson, the sole survivor of mushroom poisoning that killed his wife and friends
A new Mail podcast has launched, revealing Erin Patterson 's courtroom reaction to the testimony of Ian Wilkinson, the sole survivor of the mushroom poisoning which killed his wife and two friends. The Australian mother-of-three has pleaded not guilty to all charges. The Mail's 'The Trial of Erin Patterson' podcast is covering proceedings. Pastor Ian Wilkinson took to the witness box for the first time on Monday, with court reporter Wayne Flower recounting the atmosphere inside the courtroom and Patterson's reaction to his entrance. During testimony, Wilkinson accused Patterson of deliberately poisoning the party, acting strangely around her guests going into the pantry, and using a separate plate to differentiate her smaller portion of the toxic beef Wellington. Australian reporter Wayne Flower described Wilkinson as a 'very personal sort of guy', who struggled to hold back tears as he described the death of his wife, Heather, and friends Don and Gail Patterson. The Trial of Erin Patterson is available now, wherever you get your podcasts. Listen here 'He looked remarkably well, considering what he's been through: being the lone survivor of that lunch', Flower told 'The Trial' podcast. 'When he came into the courtroom, Erin had tears in her eyes, but she soon became more composed and just stared at him. 'Ian Wilkinson, he's a very personal sort of guy. You have to feel for him. There was a lot of nervous laughter from him throughout the day when he was talking about some really horrific experiences. 'There were also times when you could tell he was choking back tears. I'd suggest that the jury couldn't help but feel for the guy.' Wilkinson told the court that after serving the lunch, Patterson lied to her guests that she had been recently diagnosed with cancer. He then outlined what happened when the couple returned home and began to feel unwell. Award-winning crime reporter Caroline Cheetham abridged Wilkinson's statement on the podcast. 'At around 11 o'clock, as Wilkinson and Heather were going to bed, she started to feel unwell', Cheetham said. 'All of a sudden, Heather abruptly got out of bed and went to the laundry room. Wilkinson said he could hear her vomiting into the sink. 'Very shortly afterward, he also started to feel sick, and they both then had sickness and diarrhea all night. It was so extreme that they both just camped in separate toilets for pretty much the whole night.' Simon Patterson, Erin's ex-husband, then arrived at Ian and Heather's home and called an ambulance for the elderly couple. It was only after a night in the hospital, Wilkinson claims, that the spectre of poisoning was raised by doctors. Cheetham summarised: 'Husband and wife were put in adjoining beds, and they managed to get some sleep. But early the next morning, they were woken by a team of nurses who raised them down the corridor to the urgent care unit. 'That's when they were told they had suspected mushroom poisoning… The doctor said to them it was an extremely serious situation.' Wilkinson spent three weeks in a coma. When he awoke, he discovered his wife and friends Don and Gail Patterson had succumbed to the poison. Over the next week, the medical staff that treated the attendees of the lunch will give their statements. The prosecution will be trying to prove that Erin Patterson deliberately poisoned those who ate the meal. The trail continues. Become a member by clicking here, for ad-free access to every show across The Crime Desk network — including over 200 episodes of the UK's No.1 True Crime series - The Trial and On The Case and so much more.
Daily Mail
29-04-2025
- Daily Mail
Erin Patterson LIVE updates: Accused mushroom killer's trial kicks off
Follow Daily Mail's live coverage of day one of accused mushroom killer Erin Patterson 's trial. 05:56 Day one of accused mushroom murderer Erin Patterson trial explodes with a bombshell The trial for accused mushroom murderer Erin Patterson is underway in the Victorian town of Morwell. The trial is expected to last at least six weeks while the world turns its attention to this country town in the state's southeast. Reporters Wayne Flower and Paul Shapiro are on the ground ready to update as the big news breaks.
