What we heard on day six
The trial has concluded on day six of Erin Patterson’s murder trial.
Here’s what the jury heard today:
1. Ian Wilkinson, the survivor of the mushroom lunch, described his relationship with Erin as “friendly” and “amicable.” He said the pair were more “like acquaintances”. Ian and his wife, Heather, were very happy and excited about being invited to the lunch, the court heard.
2. Ian told jurors when the four lunch guests arrived at Erin’s house on 29 July 2023, Heather and Gail Patterson went to inspect Erin’s pantry. He recalled Erin was “very reluctant” about this.
3. Recalling the beef wellington lunch, Ian said Erin plated the dishes. He told jurors Erin rejected an offer by Heather and Gail to help plate the individual beef wellingtons. Ian said Erin ate off a “orangey-tan” plate that was different to the grey plates the four guests used.
4. Ian testified that after the lunch, Erin told the guests she had a “life-threatening” cancer. He said Erin told them about a diagnostic test which had found a tumor. The defence suggested Erin had told the guests she had a suspected cancer. Ian rejected this and said Erin was “fairly clear that the [cancer] diagnosis was given.”
5. The jury also heard about how the lunch guests were treated in hospital. While Don and Gail Patterson were at Dandenong hospital, the toxicology department raised the possibility of death cap mushroom poisoning because of the delayed onset of symptoms.
We’ll be back at 10.30am tomorrow. Thanks for following along.
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Gail Patterson was transferred to ICU at 2am, court hears
At about 2am, test results showing Gail’s liver function and elevated lactate levels were worsening triggered her transfer to the intensive care unit, the court hears.
A decision was made to administer silibinin - the antidote to death cap mushroom poisoning, Morgan says. Monash Health - which oversees Dandenong Hospital - did not have enough of the antidote for four patients and needed to obtain it from an external hospital, the court hears.
Heather and Ian were later transferred to Dandenong Hospital, the court hears.
Morgan says doctor Chris Webster at Leongatha hospital informed her Erin Patterson had presented to the hospital and discharged herself.
There is no cross-examination.
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Doctors began to suspect death cap mushrooms by 10:30pm, court hears
By about 10.30pm Morgan was in contact with the toxicology department who requested she find out more about what meal was served at the lunch.
I was concerned that this wasn’t just gastroenteritis caused by food poisoning. There was a discussion about the presentation and how it was quite severe, but the onset of symptoms was quite delayed.
This would be more indicative of a serious toxin syndrome as opposed to a food poisoning.
The toxicologist raised the possibility that if it was toxin poisoning, it was most likely due to the ingestion of amanita phalloides – or death cap mushrooms.
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Doctor testifies on further details of Don Patterson’s medical tests
Morgan ordered repeat venous blood gas tests, after IV fluids were administered to Don. But the results showed there was a “persistent severe metabolic acidosis.”
She says she needed to rule out ischemic bowel disease – “dead bowel,” she says – to determine the cause of Don’s illness.
Morgan saw Don at 10pm. She agrees he appeared “relatively well” and did not have abdominal tenderness.
A CT scan of Don’s abdominal was performed which was normal and ruled out ischemic bowel, the court hears.
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What you need to know: day six
Our reporter, Nino Bucci, has filed his report about Tuesday’s proceedings in the murder trial of Victorian woman Erin Patterson. Have a read here:
Don Patterson returned abnormal liver function tests, doctor says
Nanette Rogers SC, the prosecutor, asks Morgan about tests conducted on Don.
Morgan says a venous blood gas test on Don found his pH level was low which meant the “blood was very acidic”.
A full blood examination showed the hemoglobin - attached to red cells to carry oxygen - was “quite high” at 200, the court hears.
Morgan says this was due to Don being dehydrated.
Don also returned abnormal liver function tests, the court hears.
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Don Patterson had ‘borderline high’ pulse, doctor says
Morgan says Don was exhibiting mild abdominal pain on his right pain as well as nausea and diarrhoea when the pair arrived at Dandenong hospital.
Doctors were told about the beef wellington lunch, the court hears.
Morgan says testing showed Don’s vital signs were “relatively stable” and he did not have a fever. He had a pulse rate of 100 beats per minute which is “borderline high”, the court hears.
His respiratory rate was 23 breaths per minute which was “quite normal”, Morgan says. His oxygen levels were also normal.
The prosecution’s next witness is Dr Beth Morgan
Dr Beth Morgan was involved in the care of Don and Gail Patterson at Dandenong hospital as medical registrar when they arrived on 30 July 2023 via ambulance transfer.
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Nurse recalls Don’s condition deteriorating
Shannon says Simon Patterson’s father was lethargic, had lowered blood pressure and describes his symptoms as “quite unusual” for “typical vomiting and diarrhoea.”
Shannon says Don’s blood test results were “abnormal” and a transfer to a tertiary hospital with a larger ICU was arranged.
There is no cross-examination.
Prosecution calls Lisa Shannon, a registered nurse, as next witness
In July 2023, Lisa Shannon was working as an after-hours coordinator at Korumburra hospital and urgent care centre.
She says Don was “considerably sicker” than Gail when the pair arrived. Gail was not vomiting when they arrived, she says.
Don and Gail said they had taken an anti-nausea medication earlier that morning, Shannon says.
Shannon administered a cannula to deliver IV fluids to Don and Gail and ran a blood test using a portable device to measure their electrolyte levels, the court hears.
While in the urgent clinic, Shannon accompanied Don to the bathroom every 10 minutes, the court hears.
Don and Gail were then admitted to the ward at the Korumburra hospital to be observed:
“They were requiring one-on-one care. They were very unwell,” Shannon says.
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Prosecution's next witness is ambulance responder Cindy Hyde
In July 2023 she was working as a patient transport officer for the Royal Flying Doctor Service Victoria, the court hears. The service was contracted by Ambulance Victoria.
Hyde responded to an ambulance callout for Don and Gail Patterson, Erin’s parents-in-law, on 30 July 2023.
The pair told them they had attended a lunch the previous day and had been vomiting from about midnight.
She says her partner asked what they had eaten and Don replied “beef stroganoff.”
Hyde and her partner then transported the pair to Korumburra hospital, the court hears.
There is no cross-examination.
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Ian Wilkinson cross-examined on Erin’s health revelation
Erin Patterson’s lawyer, Colin Mandy SC, presses Ian about his evidence that Erin told the four lunch guests – Don and Gail Patterson, as well as Ian and his wife Heather Wilkinson – she had cancer.
Mandy says:
Let me suggest that what you told police when you made your statement is that Erin said she had a suspected cancer.
Ian agrees this is what he told police when making his statement.
When pressed by Mandy about this, Ian says “I think she was saying she had cancer” because she brought up a diagnostic scan which showed a tumor.
Ian says he was “probably understating things” when he made his police statement.
Ian says Erin was “fairly clear that the [cancer] diagnosis was given.”
Mandy says Ian’s police statement did not include references to Erin’s diagnostic test for cancer. Ian says he accepts this.
Mandy has concluded his cross-examination of Ian Wilkinson.
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Ian Wilkinson says he remembers four plates that were the same and one that was not
The trial has recommenced and Ian Wilkinson is back in the witness stand.
Under cross-examination, Wilkinson agrees that Erin did not give directions on where the plates should be placed on the table at the fateful beef wellington lunch.
He also agrees the four guests could have sat in any of the seats at the table.
Mandy says there were “not four plates that were the same.” Ian rejects this and says he remembers four grey plates and one smaller plate of a different colour.
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Court adjourns for lunch break
The trial will recommence at 2.15pm when Ian Wilkinson’s cross-examination will continue.
Erin Patterson is accused of murdering her estranged husband Simon Patterson’s parents, Don and Gail Patterson, and Gail’s sister and Simon’s aunt, Heather Wilkinson, by feeding them a meal of beef wellington laced with death cap mushrooms in July 2023. She has pleaded not guilty.
Here is a reminder of the key figures involved.
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A quick amendment, readers. Today’s crown prosecutor is Jane Warren, not Sarah Lenthall as previously stated.
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Ian Wilkinson says he saw meal served at fatal lunch come from an oven tray
Mandy turns to Ian’s evidence about how Erin placed the beef wellington lunch on plates.
He asks Ian if he remembers each beef wellington being served from a tray.
“Can I suggest to you, you saw them come from a tray, possibly an oven tray,” Mandy says.
Ian says he cannot recall this.
After some back and forth, Mandy takes Ian to his evidence to police on 5 September 2023 while at Austin hospital where he said the beef wellingtons were served on a tray.
Ian agrees this is what he told the police officers. He says this has jogged his memory and believes he can picture it.
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Ian Wilkinson says lunch guests 'didn’t have a house tour'
Erin Patterson’s lawyer, Colin Mandy SC, has begun his cross-examination of Ian.
He takes Ian to the point in time when the four lunch guests arrived at Erin’s house in Leongatha, which had been recently built.
Mandy puts to Ian that Erin was “proud of the house” she had invited the group to. Ian replies:
I don’t think it was that clear.
Mandy takes Ian to his previous evidence given in pre-trial hearings where he agreed that Erin was proud of her house:
On reflection, I felt those answers were not satisfactory …. I hadn’t thought a great deal about the house and Erin being proud of the house before you asked me those questions …. On reflection, I felt those answers weren’t … a fair representation of the events.
But he says the guests “didn’t have a house tour” and Erin was not driving the conversation about her house.
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Ian Wilkinson was treated for death cap mushroom poisoning, court hears
Ian and Heather were then transported to Dandenong hospital via ambulance due to suspicion of potential mushroom poisoning, the court hears.
Ian says while at Leongatha hospital he overheard staff talking about Erin being there as well.
Under questioning, Ian says he has no memory about his time at the Dandenong hospital after he consumed a charcoal substance drink.
He was then sedated, intubated and transferred to Austin hospital in Heidelberg where he was treated for death cap mushroom poisoning, the court hears.
Ian was later transferred to a rehabilitation ward before being discharged home on 21 September 2023, jurors are told.
Warren has finished examining Ian Wilkinson.
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Ian Wilkinson says Heather reminded him about different-coloured plates while in hospital
Prosecutor Jane Warren asks Ian about his conversation with Heather about the mismatched plates the beef wellington lunch was served on.
Ian recalls the conversation in Leongatha hospital:
I remember Heather reminding me that there were different plates.
She just noticed the difference in colours between the plate Erin was using and our plates.
At first, hospital staff were focusing on the meat from the beef wellington meal as a possible cause of their illness, Ian says.
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Simon urged family members to visit hospital, Ian Wilkinson tells court
Around dawn the next morning, Heather Wilkinson had a phone conversation with the other lunch guests and discovered they were also unwell, jurors are told.
Erin’s estranged husband, Simon Patterson, visited Ian and Heather later that morning.
Ian describes himself as “quite unwell” when Simon arrived.
Don and Gail had called an ambulance and Simon told his aunt and uncle, Ian and Heather, that they should do the same, the court hears.
Simon then rang an ambulance. Due to ambulance delays, Simon drove Ian and Heather to Leongatha hospital.
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Ian Wilkinson says he and wife became ill that evening
Erin and Simon’s son and his friend then returned home, which cut short the conversation about Erin’s illness, the court hears.
Ian then led the guests to pray for Erin.
He recalls leaving Erin’s house at about 2.45pm, as he and Heather had guests coming over at 3pm.
Ian and Heather went to bed at about 10.30 or 11pm that evening, jurors are told.
He says before they had fallen asleep Heather “abruptly” got up from bed and vomited in the laundry:
I felt alright when Heather initially got up. But it wasn’t very long after that I also felt the need to go and vomit.
The couple were vomiting and had diarrhoea through the evening, the court hears.
He says he and Heather did not return to bed that night as they needed to stay close to the toilets in the house.
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Erin told four guests she had 'life-threatening' cancer, court hears
Ian is then asked what happened after the meal:
After the lunch, Erin announced that she had cancer. She said that she was very concerned because she believed it was very serious, life-threatening.
She was anxious about telling the kids. She was asking our advice about that.
Erin spoke about a diagnostic test which showed a tumor, Ian says.
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Ian Wilkinson tells court he ate entire meal at fatal mushroom lunch
Ian says the five people said grace before they began to eat lunch.
He says he and his wife, Heather, ate the entire meal.
Gail, Erin’s mother-in-law, ate her vegetables and half of her beef wellington, the court hears.
Don ate his meal and his wife Gail’s leftover half, Ian says:
There was talk about husbands helping their wives out by eating extra food. Heather mentioned we should have shared a beef wellington because she felt the meal was a bit on the large side for her. That’s the reason I remember who ate what – because of that little exchange.
Ian says he can’t recall how much of the meal Erin ate. But he says he cannot remember comments about Erin not eating much.
Gail had prepared a cake and Heather had brought a fruit platter to the lunch, the court hears.
Ian says not much of either was consumed as the guests were “fairly full” from the main course.
He says it was a “help yourself” serving arrangement for the cake and fruit, with plates on the table.
Ian says he cannot remember if the same plates from lunch were used.
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Erin took ‘odd’, differently coloured plate to her place at the table, Ian Wilkinson tells court
Ian Wilkinson describes the individual beef wellingtons served to the lunch guests:
It was very much like a pasty... it was a pastry case and when we cut into it, there was steak and mushrooms.
He says the dish was “entirely encased” in pastry.
Prosecutor Jane Warren asks Ian about the plates Erin used to serve the food:
There were four large, grey dinner plates and one smaller plate – a different colour. It was an orangey-tan sort of colour.
Gail picked up two of the grey plates and put them on the table, Heather picked up two of the grey plates and put them on the table.
Erin picked up the odd plate and placed it on the table … she took it to her place on the table.
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Erin Patterson plated all of the food, survivor of mushroom lunch says
The four guests then joined Erin in her garden where they discussed some of her plants.
Once inside again, Ian Wilkinson says lunch preparations began.
He says he saw Erin mashing potatoes and putting food on plates. He says he did not see any other food being prepared.
The jury is shown a photo of Erin’s dining room table, with a kitchen bench to the left.
Ian says Erin was on the kitchen side of the bench while she was putting food on plates. Gail and Heather were on the dining room side of the bench, leaning against it.
He says both women offered to help Erin plate the food.
The offer was rejected. He says Erin plated all of the food.
On the plates served to the guests were mashed potatoes, green beans and an individual beef wellington each.
Ian says he did not see where the beef wellingtons came from before they were placed on the plates.
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Erin Patterson 'reluctant' for guests to look in her pantry
Ian and Heather were picked up by Don and Gail “a little after 12” from their house before travelling to Erin’s house on 29 July 2023, the court hears.
The four lunch guests arrived at Erin’s house at about 12.30pm, Ian says.
Arriving at Erin’s house, Ian says Heather remarked “oh, Simon’s car’s not here”.
Don or Gail said Simon Patterson was not attending the lunch, Ian says (a reminder that Simon is Don and Gail’s son, and Ian and Heather’s nephew).
Erin then met the four guests and they went into the kitchen and lounge room area in the house:
There was general conversation … then we started conversing about the house.
Erin mentioned there was a pantry behind the wall:
Heather was very interested in pantries at the time because we’d just built one at home.
On hearing about the pantry, she started walking towards it … Gail started following.
Ian says Erin was “very reluctant” about the visit to the pantry. He says Erin then followed Heather and Gail to the pantry.
Ian says he did not follow because he thought Erin may have been embarrassed about mess in the pantry.
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Heather Wilkinson’s diary shown to court
The court is shown a photo of Heather’s diary. A handwritten entry on 29 July reads “Erin’s for lunch 12:00”.
Ian Wilkinson says the couple needed to be ready at midday for Don and Gail to pick them up for the lunch.
Underneath is the word “fruit”. Ian says this refers to the fruit platter he and Heather were planning to take to Erin’s house.
On the morning of 29 July, Ian says he had breakfast but cannot recall what he ate. He says it was a “typical breakfast meal” and he “probably had a nice bowl of porridge”.
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Ian Wilkinson says late wife Heather ‘fairly excited’ about lunch
The examination now turns to the invite for the mushroom lunch.
Ian recalls Heather telling him at church that they had been invited to Erin’s home for a meal in July 2023.
He says Heather was “fairly excited” about the invitation:
There was no reason for the lunch.... We were very happy to be invited. It seemed like maybe our relationship with Erin was going to improve.
Ian says the pair were “very happy” to accept the lunch invite.
He says at first the couple thought they were the only people invited.
They later found out that Heather’s sister, Gail and her husband, Don had also been invited.
Erin’s estranged husband, Simon, was also invited to the lunch, the court hears.
‘Just seemed like a normal person’
Prosecutor Jane Warren asks how Ian Wilksinson would he would describe Erin:
Just seemed like a normal person to me... when we met, seemed quite friendly. We never had arguments or disputes.
She just seemed like an ordinary person.
Warren turns to his observation of Simon and Erin’s marriage. He says he had a “couple” of conversations with Simon about the pair’s marriage challenges when they lived separately for periods of time.
Ian says he did not often visit Erin’s house. He says he had only eaten with Erin previously for wider family gatherings like Christmas parties and family occasions.
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‘More like acquaintances,’ Ian Wilkinson says of Erin Patterson
Ian says he met Erin through his nephew, Simon Patterson (Erin’s estranged husband).
He is asked about his relationship with Erin:
I would say our relationship was friendly, amicable. It didn’t have much depth. We were more like acquaintances. We didn’t see a great deal of each other.
He says when Erin attended their church, they would have “casual conversation”.
Ian says Heather had a “very similar” relationship with Erin:
Heather would have seen Erin more than me, talked to her more than me. But we didn’t consider that the relationship was close.
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Ian Wilkinson testimony begins
Prosecutor Jane Warren has begun her examination of Ian Wilkinson.
He tells the court he is the pastor at the Korumburra Baptist Church.
Ian met his wife Heather in 1976 and they later had four children, the court hears.
Heather, 66, was teaching English to migrants when she died in 2023, Ian says.
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Ian Wilkinson, only survivor of fatal lunch, to testify next
The next witness is Ian Wilkinson, who survived the mushroom lunch served by Erin on 29 July 2023.
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Court shown receipt for dehydrator that Erin Patterson bought
The prosecution has called Darren Fox, the owner and manager of an appliances store in Leongatha.
He says in November 2023 an employee told him she believed she had sold Erin Patterson, who lives in Leongatha, a food dehydrator.
Fox says store records showed Erin had purchased a Sunbeam food lab electronic dehydrator.
The court is shown a tax invoice which says “deliver to” Erin, dated 28 April 2023.
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The jurors have entered the courtroom.
The next witness in the Erin Patterson murder trial will be called shortly.
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Our reporter Nino Bucci was in court yesterday in Morwell, where the supreme court is sitting for the trial. Here is his report:
Recap: testimony from day five
As we wait for the trial to start today, here’s a recap of four things jurors heard on Monday:
Erin’s estranged husband, Simon, denied asking her “is that what you used to poison them?” in the days immediately after the lethal mushroom lunch. It was alleged he was referring to the food dehydrator, the court heard, although it was not clarified who “them” referred to.
The court was shown a Facebook message Erin wrote in 2023 before the lunch, according to her online friend Daniela Barkley. It read: “I’ve been hiding powdered mushrooms in everything. Mixed into chocolate brownies yesterday, the kids had no idea.”
A Facebook friend of Erin recalled her describing her estranged husband, Simon, as “coercive” and her in-laws as “demanding”. The three Facebook friends who gave evidence did not meet her in person but communicated in online true crime groups, online chats and phone calls.
The same witness, Christine Hunt, said Erin was “well regarded” in the Facebook group and known as a good researcher, describing her as a “super sleuth.”
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Welcome to day six of Erin Patterson’s murder trial
We’re expecting today’s evidence to begin at 10.30am when more witnesses will testify.
Patterson, 50, faces three charges of murder and one charge of attempted murder relating to a beef wellington lunch she served at her house in Leongatha, in regional Victoria, in July 2023.
She is accused of murdering her in-laws, Don and Gail Patterson and the aunt of her estranged husband, Heather Wilkinson. The attempted murder charge relates to Heather’s husband, Ian.
She has pleaded not guilty to the charges. The defence’s case is that the events were an accident and Patterson never intended to harm her lunch guests.
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