Erin Patterson testifies in trial over fatal mushroom lunch that allegedly poisoned family

Erin Patterson has taken the stand in her defence at a high-profile murder trial in Melbourne, giving her testimony for the first time about the July 2023 mushroom lunch that left three of her relatives dead and a fourth critically ill.

The 50-year-old is facing three charges of murder and one of attempted murder over a beef wellington meal she served at her home in Leongatha, regional Victoria. The dish is alleged to have contained death cap mushrooms, a highly toxic variety. Her former in-laws, Don and Gail Patterson, both 70, and Gail’s sister, Heather Wilkinson, 66, died in the hospital days after the meal. Heather’s husband, local Baptist pastor Ian Wilkinson, survived after weeks in intensive care.

Patterson has pleaded not guilty. Prosecutors allege she intentionally cooked the poisonous mushrooms, later lied to police, and attempted to destroy evidence. The defence argues she did not realise the mushrooms were toxic and panicked once people became ill.

The trial is being held in the Supreme Court of Victoria. After six weeks of prosecution evidence from more than 50 witnesses, including Patterson’s estranged husband, Simon, and survivor Ian Wilkinson, the defence has now begun its case. First to testify was Patterson herself.

Patterson describes family tensions and explains hospital discharge

Credit: JAMES ROSS/EPA-EFE/Shutterstock

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In her testimony, Patterson spoke about her relationship with Simon Patterson and the gradual distancing from his family in the lead-up to the lunch. “By 2023 there was a bit more distance or space between us. We saw each other less,” she said. “I’d come to have concerns that Simon was not wanting me to be involved too much with the family anymore.”

She described communication issues as central to their marital problems. “If we had any problems at all, it was… we couldn’t communicate well when we disagreed about something,” she told the jury. “We would just feel hurt and not know how to resolve it.”

She also recalled a traumatic experience during the birth of their first child in 2009. It was shortly before the couple’s initial separation. “He started to go into distress and they lost his heartbeat,” she said. She became emotional as she explained that doctors had to perform an emergency caesarean.

Patterson said she discharged herself from hospital shortly after, not wanting to remain there alone. She referenced this pattern when asked about leaving hospital in the days following the fatal lunch. This is something prosecutors previously suggested undermined claims that she had also fallen ill.

In his opening remarks, defence barrister Colin Mandy KC noted that Patterson had a history of discharging herself against medical advice. He argued that it was not unusual behaviour for her.

Ms Patterson’s initial testimony lasted under an hour before the court adjourned. She is expected to continue giving evidence when the trial resumes on Tuesday.

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