The woman at the centre of Australia’s "mushroom murder" case has been accused of lying in the witness box, as prosecutors press her on inconsistencies in her story.
Erin Patterson is on trial in the Supreme Court of Victoria, charged with murdering three people and attempting to murder a fourth, after serving them beef Wellingtons allegedly laced with deadly death cap mushrooms during a family lunch in July 2023.
The 50-year-old has pleaded not guilty to all charges, maintaining the incident was a tragic accident.
But today, on her sixth day of cross-examination, prosecutors alleged she had misled the court on multiple fronts, including what she knew about mushroom poisoning, her internet history, and her hospital visit in the hours after the lunch.
Hospital visit scrutinised
During questioning, Crown prosecutor Dr Nanette Rogers SC suggested that Patterson was "shocked that the doctors were onto death cap [mushroom poisoning] so quickly."
Patterson responded, "I was anxious at the idea that we might have eaten those things". When asked if she was worried about being caught, she replied: "Incorrect."
The prosecution highlighted inconsistencies in Patterson's account of her hospital visit.
While nurse Kylie Ashton testified that Patterson declined admission despite being warned of the seriousness of her condition, Patterson claimed there was "no conversation" about her children at that point and that she left to care for her animals.
Discrepancies over plate usage
Survivor Ian Wilkinson previously testified that Patterson served herself on a different, smaller plate compared to her guests.
Patterson denied this, stating, "there was no smaller plate".
She suggested that any differences in plates were due to her not owning a matching set, adding, "I did not deliberately choose which plates to serve my lunch guests with".
Internet searches and medical appointments questioned
The prosecution presented evidence that Patterson's computer accessed the iNaturalist website in May 2022, viewing a post about death cap mushrooms.
Patterson claimed she didn't recall visiting the site, stating, "I don't remember ever visiting iNaturalist". When asked if she had an interest in death cap mushrooms at that time, she responded: "I have no idea."
Rogers then questioned Patterson about an appointment she claimed to have had at Enrich Clinic for gastric bypass surgery.
The prosecution noted that the clinic does not offer such procedures.
Patterson expressed confusion, saying: "Well, I had an appointment with them, and that's my memory of what the appointment was for, so that's why I'm puzzled."
Vomiting claims under scrutiny
Patterson testified that she made herself vomit after the lunch due to feeling overfull, attributing it to a history of binge eating and purging.
Rogers also challenged this, stating, "You did not tell a single medical person that you had vomited up after the lunch on the 29th of July?"
Patterson said: "That is true, I didn't do that."
The case revolves around a lunch hosted by Patterson on July 29, 2023, in Leongatha, Victoria. The meal resulted in the deaths of Don and Gail Patterson and Heather Wilkinson. Ian Wilkinson survived after intensive care.
Patterson has pleaded not guilty to all charges, asserting the incident was a tragic accident.
The trial continues, with further cross-examination and testimonies expected in the coming days
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