Erin Patterson told a Facebook group chat “this family I swear to fucking god” and said she wanted “nothing to do” with her parents-in-law, according to messages shown in a Victorian court.
Messages written by the user Erin ErinErin, which the court has previously heard was one of three Facebook names used by Patterson, also included saying she was ““sick of this shit” and “fuck em” about the parents of her estranged husband, Simon.
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 South Gippsland in 2023.
Patterson has pleaded not guilty to murdering or attempting to murder Simon’s relatives.
She is accused of murdering Simon’s parents, Don and Gail Patterson, his aunt Heather Wilkinson, and attempting to murder Ian Wilkinson, Simon’s uncle and Heather’s husband.
On Thursday, the supreme court sitting at the Morwell law courts continued to hear evidence from Shamen Fox-Henry, a senior digital forensics officer with Victoria police.
Fox-Henry was asked about a series of data extractions he conducted on devices seized as part of the police investigation into the deaths.
He said that an extraction he performed on a Samsung mobile phone seized from Patterson’s home on 5 August 2023 revealed messages sent by a user Erin ErinErin to a group which included at least four other Facebook users.
The messages were sent on 6 December 2022.
“Simon’s dad contacted me this morning to say that he and Gail had tried to talk to Simon about the matters I raised and to try to get ‘his side’ but he refused to talk about it other than to signal he disagreed with what I said. Beyond that he won’t talk about it. So don said they can’t adjudicate if they don’t know both sides...... This family I swear to fucking god,” the court heard.
“I said to him about fifty times yesterday that I didn’t want them to adjudicate (smiley face emoji) nobody bloody listens to me. At least I know they’re a lost cause.
“I wonder if they’ve got any capacity for self reflection at all? I mean clearly the fact that Simon refused to talk about personal issues in part stems from the behaviour of his parents....”
Two of the other members of the group, Jenny Hay and Daniela Barkley, have already given evidence during the trial.
The messages also appeared to reference message exchanges via Signal that Patterson had with Simon and his parents about the same time.
Details of that exchange were previously heard in court, with Simon agreeing that they were petty, inflammatory and emotive.
Patterson also sent the group another message on 6 December 2022:
“Don rang me last night to say that he thought there was a solution to all this if Simon and I get together and try to talk and pray together [smiley face emoji] and then he also said Simon had indicated there was a solution to the financial issues if I withdraw the child support claim? My head nearly exploded and I was like what?? And don goes oh sorry just ignore what I said I don’t want to get involved.
“I’m so sick of this shit I want nothing to do with them. I thought his parents would want him to do the right thing but it seems their concern about not wanting to be uncomfortable and not wanting to get involved in their sons personal matters are overriding that so fuck em.”
The jury was then shown messages sent by Patterson on 7 December 2022.
“His parents sent me a message yesterday afternoon and Simon sent me one last night but I’ve read neither and I don’t think I will. I don’t want to hear it. Simon’s will just be horrible....”
She said she expected Simon’s message would be “gaslighting and abusive and ruin my day”, and the parents would use “more weasel words”.
Patterson also suggested that Don and Gail would treat their daughter’s husband differently if he was behaving the same way as Simon.
But she also said Simon “walking away from his responsibilities” in relation to child support could be a “blessing in disguise”.
Fox-Henry was also asked about a series of photos located on a tablet computer seized by police which showed mushrooms on dehydrating racks or on scales, and details about ovarian cancer.
He was also asked about another Samsung phone, described in court as mobile phone B. This phone, Fox-Henry said, appeared to have been factory reset by the user on several occasions, including remotely after it was seized by police.
The trial continues.
