Latest news with #Wellingtons
1News
4 days ago
- 1News
Mushroom trial week five: SIM cards, cancer claims and receipts
The murder trial of Victorian woman Erin Patterson, accused of poisoning her former in-laws with a beef Wellington laced with death cap mushrooms, is entering its final phase. This week, the detective who led the investigation gave evidence, revealing key details about Patterson's actions and behaviour following the fatal lunch. Text messages and a false cancer claim Evidence so far in the trial of Erin Patterson, the Australian woman accused of murdering three people with beef Wellingtons. (Source: 1News) The jury was shown a series of text messages between Erin Patterson and her former mother-in-law, Gail Patterson. ADVERTISEMENT In one exchange, Erin claimed she had undergone a needle biopsy and was awaiting an MRI. But Detective Senior Constable Stephen Eppingstall told the court police found no medical records to support that claim. While the defence acknowledged there was no cancer diagnosis, they argued Patterson had long held fears about her health. Mobile phones and missing devices Erin Patterson (Source: Nine) Eppingstall said Patterson had multiple mobile phones and alleged she swapped SIM cards between them during a police raid. One of those phones, he said, has never been recovered. The jury also heard Patterson messaged friends saying she had purchased a new phone and had learned to do a 'hard reboot' when hers broke. Death cap mushroom searches ADVERTISEMENT Police also examined a computer seized from Patterson's home. Its search history included queries about death cap mushrooms and visits to the iNaturalist website – the same site where two fungi experts had previously logged toxic mushroom sightings. The defence maintains the data does not prove who performed the searches. Shopping receipts and the food dehydrator An illustration of Erin Patterson's shopping receipts. (Source: Nine) The prosecution presented a timeline of receipts linked to Patterson's Everyday Rewards card. Between six days before the lunch and the day prior, she shopped at Woolworths three times buying mushrooms, pastry, eye fillet steaks, onions and 1.5 kilograms of mashed potatoes. Patterson's bank records also showed an online purchase was made on August 4 from Desma Environmental, a business linked to the Gippsland tip where a used food dehydrator was later recovered. A shifting story on mushroom sourcing ADVERTISEMENT Death cap mushrooms (file image). (Source: Earlier this week, the jury also heard from Department of Health official Sally Ann Atkinson, who was tasked with tracing the origin of the mushrooms. She told the court Patterson was initially difficult to contact and, when reached, gave changing accounts of where the mushrooms were sourced. The defence argued Patterson was under significant emotional pressure at the time. With the trial now in its fifth week, the case is expected to soon enter closing arguments before the jury begins deliberations. Patterson denies all charges and maintains her innocence.
1News
20-05-2025
- 1News
Data quizzed after cook's phone pinged near mushrooms
Mushroom cook Erin Patterson's legal team have grilled a phone data expert on the limitations of using cell data in connection with a person's movements. Patterson, 50, is facing the fourth week of trial in regional Victoria, where she stands accused of three murders by allegedly deliberately poisoning a beef Wellington she served to her former in-laws. Don and Gail Patterson, 70, and Heather Wilkinson, 66, all died in hospital days after eating the meal cooked by Patterson in July 2023. The fourth lunch guest, Heather's husband Ian Wilkinson, survived the meal and Patterson has been charged with his attempted murder. She has pleaded not guilty to all offences and claims the poisonings were a terrible accident. Digital forensic expert Matthew Sorrell gave evidence for a second day at the court in Morwell, Victoria's southeast, today. Yesterday, he told the jury his analysis of Patterson's phone records showed she was in the vicinity of the Gippsland towns of Outtrim and Loch on May 22, 2023. A post had been published on the iNaturalist science website on May 21, revealing that death cap mushrooms had been located on Neilson St, Outtrim, the jury was told earlier yesterday. Another post on April 18 stated the poisonous mushrooms had been spotted earlier that day at the Loch recreation reserve. Under cross-examination by Patterson's barrister Colin Mandy SC today, Sorrell admitted there were limitations to his analysis. He explained that he used two types of records to analyse Patterson's phone – call charge records and event-based monitoring data. "That data allows for the possibility of a visit?" Mandy asked. "It allows for the possibility of being in the area," Sorrell replied. "But it does not necessarily indicate there was a visit to those locations?" Mandy continued. "There's nothing to indicate there was a specific visit to an address," the expert said. Mandy probed whether it was easier to exclude that a phone was in a particular area than to confirm it was there, and Sorrell agreed. The defence barrister told the jury Patterson lived about 20 minutes' drive from Outtrim and half an hour from Loch. Mandy asked Sorrell whether a phone could switch cell towers at different locations from inside Patterson's Leongatha home, for example if she picked up her phone and walked to her door. "I accept that proposition," Sorrell said. "Even if you've only moved 20 or 30 metres?" Mandy continued. "Yes," Dr Sorrell said. Mandy listed other limitations of the analysis including that a visit to Outtrim might not be recorded if no SMS, phone calls or data had been accessed on the phone, to which Sorrell agreed. Evidence so far in the trial of Erin Patterson, the Australian woman accused of murdering three people with beef Wellingtons. (Source: 1News) One of the homicide detectives tasked with investigating the allegedly murderous lunch was called as a witness this afternoon. Detective Senior Constable Khuong Tran told the jury he obtained CCTV for the case, including from a BP petrol station in Caldermeade. In video shown to the jury, about 3.19pm on July 30 – the day after the mushroom meal – Patterson is seen getting out of a red vehicle and walking into the service station towards the bathroom. Patterson, wearing a grey top and white pants with a black crossbody shoulder bag and sandals, spends about nine seconds in the toilets and then takes an item from the fridge before paying and leaving. She said she had experienced stomach pain and diarrhoea the day after the beef Wellington and took herself to hospital on July 31, the jury was told previously. The trial before Justice Christopher Beale will continue tomorrow.
1News
13-05-2025
- 1News
Death cap mushroom sightings near venue of fatal meal
Death cap mushrooms were spotted in the region around Erin Patterson's home in the months before she served up poisoned beef Wellingtons that killed three people. Patterson, 50, is on trial charged with three murders and one attempted murder over the lunch on July 2023 at her home in Leongatha, Gippsland, in Victoria's southeast. Her estranged husband Simon's parents Don and Gail Patterson, both 70, and Gail's sister Heather Wilkinson, 66, all died in hospital after being diagnosed with death cap mushroom poisoning from eating the meal. Patterson has pleaded not guilty to all offences and claims she did not intentionally kill any of her lunch guests, saying it was a "terrible" accident. The trial being held in Morwell entered its third week on Tuesday where the jury was introduced to mushroom expert Dr Thomas May. May said he was a mycologist, a scientist specialising in the study of fungi, at Victoria's Royal Botanic Gardens. He discussed the origins of amanita phalloides, known as death cap mushrooms, and how "citizen scientists" often posted their whereabouts to websites such as iNaturalist. "It is found in Gippsland, but with only three reports from Outtrim, Loch and Morwell," he told the jury of 15 people on Tuesday. "The records for Outtrim are from May 2023?" prosecutor Nanette Rogers asked. "Correct," Dr May replied. "And the record from Loch is from 18 April 2023?" the prosecutor continued. "Correct," he said. He said the third record, found in Morwell, was historical and from "somewhere in the last 20 years". Patterson is accused of serving up her lunch, steak covered in mushroom paste and encased in pastry, on July 29, 2023. Outtrim and Loch are in the Gippsland region, where the lunch occurred. The accused triple murderer told doctors and toxicologists she bought the mushrooms for the meal from Leongatha Woolworths and a Chinese grocer in Melbourne's southeast. May confirmed "there is no evidence that amanita phalloides occurs in China". Earlier, doctors who treated Patterson at Monash Hospital spoke to the jury about how she did not appear unwell and was discharged. Patterson had taken herself to Leongatha Hospital earlier that day, on July 31, saying she was suffering diarrhoea and abdominal pain. Her four lunch guests, including church pastor Ian Wilkinson who survived the lunch but became very unwell from eating it, were also being treated at Melbourne hospitals at that time. Monash emergency doctor Varuna Ruggoo assessed Patterson on August 1 and found she was "clinically well" after performing several tests. Patterson had been cleared of potentially suffering from death cap mushroom poisoning by another doctor, Laura Muldoon, she said. "She wrote in her notes that there was no concerns about that type of poisoning because ... Ms Patterson's liver function tests were all within normal limits," Ruggoo told the jury. Ruggoo then deemed Patterson was fit to be discharged, at 1pm that day. Gail Patterson and Heather Wilkinson died at the Austin Hospital on August 4, then Don Patterson died the following day. The trial before Justice Christopher Beale continues.
9 News
13-05-2025
- 9 News
Death cap mushroom sightings near venue of fatal meal, court hears
Your web browser is no longer supported. To improve your experience update it here A court has heard death cap mushrooms were spotted in the region around Erin Patterson's home in the months before she served up poisoned beef Wellingtons that killed three people. Patterson, 50, is on trial charged with three murders and one attempted murder over the lunch on July 2023 at her home in Leongatha, Gippsland, in Victoria 's southeast. Her estranged husband Simon's parents Don and Gail Patterson, both 70, and Gail's sister Heather Wilkinson, 66, all died in hospital after being diagnosed with death cap mushroom poisoning from eating the meal. Erin Patterson is on trial charged with three murders and one attempted murder. (Jason South) Patterson has pleaded not guilty to all offences and claims she did not intentionally kill any of her lunch guests, saying it was a "terrible" accident. The trial being held in Morwell entered its third week on Tuesday where the jury was introduced to mushroom expert Thomas May. Dr May said he was a mycologist, a scientist specialising in the study of fungi, at Victoria's Royal Botanic Gardens. Don and Gail Patterson died in hospital. (Supplied) He discussed the origins of amanita phalloides, known as death cap mushrooms, and how "citizen scientists" often posted their whereabouts to websites such as iNaturalist. "It is found in Gippsland, but with only three reports from Outtrim, Loch and Morwell," he told the jury of 15 people on Tuesday. "The records for Outtrim are from May 2023?" prosecutor Nanette Rogers asked. "Correct," Dr May replied. "And the record from Loch is from 18 April 2023?" the prosecutor continued. He said the third record, found in Morwell, was historical and from "somewhere in the last 20 years". Patterson is accused of serving up her lunch, steak covered in mushroom paste and encased in pastry, on July 29, 2023. Outtrim and Loch are in the Gippsland region, where the lunch occurred. Church pastor Ian Wilkinson. (Jason South) The accused triple murderer told doctors and toxicologists she bought the mushrooms for the meal from Leongatha Woolworths and a Chinese grocer in Melbourne's southeast. Dr May told the court "there is no evidence that amanita phalloides occurs in China". Earlier, doctors who treated Patterson at Monash Hospital spoke to the jury about how she did not appear unwell and was discharged. Patterson had taken herself to Leongatha Hospital earlier that day, on July 31, saying she was suffering diarrhoea and abdominal pain. Her four lunch guests, including church pastor Ian Wilkinson who survived the lunch but became very unwell from eating it, were also being treated at Melbourne hospitals at that time. The court heard Monash emergency doctor Varuna Ruggoo assessed Patterson on August 1 and found she was "clinically well" after performing several tests. Patterson had been cleared of potentially suffering from death cap mushroom poisoning by another doctor, Laura Muldoon, she said. "She wrote in her notes that there was no concerns about that type of poisoning because ... Ms Patterson's liver function tests were all within normal limits," Dr Ruggoo told the jury. Dr Ruggoo then deemed Patterson was fit to be discharged, at 1pm that day. Gail Patterson and Heather Wilkinson died at the Austin Hospital on August 4, then Don Patterson died the following day. The trial before Justice Christopher Beale continues. courts Melbourne Victoria national Australia CONTACT US
Perth Now
13-05-2025
- Perth Now
Death cap mushroom sightings near venue of fatal meal
Death cap mushrooms were spotted in the region around Erin Patterson's home in the months before she served up poisoned beef Wellingtons that killed three people. Patterson, 50, is on trial charged with three murders and one attempted murder over the lunch on July 2023 at her home in Leongatha, Gippsland, in Victoria's southeast. Her estranged husband Simon's parents Don and Gail Patterson, both 70, and Gail's sister Heather Wilkinson, 66, all died in hospital after being diagnosed with death cap mushroom poisoning from eating the meal. Patterson has pleaded not guilty to all offences and claims she did not intentionally kill any of her lunch guests, saying it was a "terrible" accident. The trial being held in Morwell entered its third week on Tuesday where the jury was introduced to mushroom expert Thomas May. Dr May said he was a mycologist, a scientist specialising in the study of fungi, at Victoria's Royal Botanic Gardens. He discussed the origins of amanita phalloides, known as death cap mushrooms, and how "citizen scientists" often posted their whereabouts to websites such as iNaturalist. "It is found in Gippsland, but with only three reports from Outtrim, Loch and Morwell," he told the jury of 15 people on Tuesday. "The records for Outtrim are from May 2023?" prosecutor Nanette Rogers asked. "Correct," Dr May replied. "And the record from Loch is from 18 April 2023?" the prosecutor continued. "Correct," he said. He said the third record, found in Morwell, was historical and from "somewhere in the last 20 years". Patterson is accused of serving up her lunch, steak covered in mushroom paste and encased in pastry, on July 29, 2023. Outtrim and Loch are in the Gippsland region, where the lunch occurred. The accused triple murderer told doctors and toxicologists she bought the mushrooms for the meal from Leongatha Woolworths and a Chinese grocer in Melbourne's southeast. Dr May confirmed "there is no evidence that amanita phalloides occurs in China". Earlier, doctors who treated Patterson at Monash Hospital spoke to the jury about how she did not appear unwell and was discharged. Patterson had taken herself to Leongatha Hospital earlier that day, on July 31, saying she was suffering diarrhoea and abdominal pain. Her four lunch guests, including church pastor Ian Wilkinson who survived the lunch but became very unwell from eating it, were also being treated at Melbourne hospitals at that time. Monash emergency doctor Varuna Ruggoo assessed Patterson on August 1 and found she was "clinically well" after performing several tests. Patterson had been cleared of potentially suffering from death cap mushroom poisoning by another doctor, Laura Muldoon, she said. "She wrote in her notes that there was no concerns about that type of poisoning because ... Ms Patterson's liver function tests were all within normal limits," Dr Ruggoo told the jury. Dr Ruggoo then deemed Patterson was fit to be discharged, at 1pm that day. Gail Patterson and Heather Wilkinson died at the Austin Hospital on August 4, then Don Patterson died the following day. The trial before Justice Christopher Beale continues.
