Latest news with #SimonPatterson
The Guardian
13 hours ago
- The Guardian
Closing arguments conclude in Australia's mushroom trial as jury deliberation approaches
Closing addresses from the prosecution and defence have now concluded in the triple murder trial of Erin Patterson. Next it will be up to the jury to deliberate and reach a unanimous verdict. Patterson faces three charges of murder and one charge of attempted murder relating to a lunch she served at her house in Victoria's Leongatha on 29 July 2023. She has pleaded not guilty to murdering three relatives of her estranged husband, Simon Patterson, and attempting to murder another. Guardian Australia's justice and courts reporter, Nino Bucci, has been attending the trial since it began, and explains the latest developments
The Guardian
2 days ago
- The Guardian
Australia mushroom trial LIVE: defence set to conclude closing address in murder trial of Erin Patterson
Update: Date: 2025-06-19T00:31:29.000Z Title: What the jury heard on Wednesday Content: Here's what the jury heard yesterday: Patterson's defence lawyer, Colin Mandy SC, said his client was 'not on trial for being a liar'. He told jurors the court was not one of 'moral judgment'. The prosecution's case that Patterson wanted her estranged husband, Simon, to attend the lunch so she could kill him was 'absurd', Mandy said. The defence said the jury should reject the evidence from the sole surviving lunch guest, Ian Wilkinson, that Patterson served her guests on four large grey plates while eating from an orangey-tan coloured plate. Mandy said Ian was 'honestly mistaken'. Mandy said the December 2022 Facebook group chat messages, where Patterson said her in-laws were a 'lost cause', were being used by the prosecution as a distraction from the evidence in the case. He said the messages, which related to a disagreement over child support with Simon, stood out because they were about the only disagreement between Patterson and her in-laws. Mandy says online searches about death cap mushrooms – discovered on a computer police seized from Patterson's house – showed his client's 'idle curiosity' and not a person 'carefully studying this information'. Update: Date: 2025-06-19T00:26:26.000Z Title: Erin Patterson Content: Welcome to day 35 of 's triple murder trial. Patterson's defence lawyer, Colin Mandy SC, will continue delivering his closing address to the jury when the trial resumes from 10.30am. Justice Christopher Beale has told the jury he will begin instructing them on Monday, before their deliberations. He said this 'could spill' into next Wednesday. Once this is concluded, the jury will retire to consider its verdict. 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, on 29 July 2023. She is accused of murdering her in-laws, Don and Gail Patterson, and her estranged husband's aunt, Heather Wilkinson. The attempted murder charge relates to Heather's husband, Ian. She has pleaded not guilty to the charges. The prosecution alleges Patterson deliberately poisoned her lunch guests with 'murderous intent', but her lawyers say the poisoning was a tragic accident.
News.com.au
2 days ago
- News.com.au
Erin Patterson trial: Defence expected to conclude final remarks to jury
Lawyers acting for alleged mushroom poisoner Erin Patterson have ridiculed an argument put forward by the prosecution that she also wanted to kill her husband, labelling it 'absurd', the jury has heard. During his closing address to the jury on Wednesday, defence barrister Colin Mandy SC said there was 'no possible prospect' Ms Patterson wanted to kill her husband. His comment came after Dr Rogers suggested the sixth beef Wellington Ms Patterson had prepared was 'clearly intended' for her husband Simon Patterson. 'The prosecution case is: had Simon Patterson changed his mind and decided to attend the lunch after all, he, too, would have been served that sixth poisoned beef Wellington,' she said on Monday. Previously the jury was told Ms Patterson had prepared six beef Wellingtons – one more than the number of people present at the lunch. In the witness box the accused woman disputed the sixth was intended for her husband, saying it was just an 'extra one' made because she had the ingredients and the steaks used came in twin packs. Dr Rogers pointed to the accused woman's evidence that if Simon had attended, she would have given him a beef Wellington too, and Ms Patterson's final message to her husband after he told her the night before the lunch he wouldn't come. 'I hope you'll change your mind. Your parents and Heather and Ian are coming at 12.30. I hope to see you there,' the message read. Mr Mandy told the jury it was 'obvious from the tone of the message' his client did want him to come and was trying to guilt him into coming. 'The prosecution says the only reason she wanted him there was because she wanted to kill him as well. And that's, we say, an absurd theory,' he said. 'That would have had the result of removing from the children's lives their father, their grandparents, Simon's aunt and uncle. 'There's no possible prospect that Erin wanted in those circumstances to destroy her whole world, her whole life. Surely it's more likely that her account is true.' Also on Wednesday, Mr Mandy said he expected to conclude his remarks on Thursday morning. The update follows trial judge Justice Christopher Beale advising jurors earlier this week he would wait until Monday to begin his summing up of the case and charge, and that he expected this would take a couple of days. The jury would then be sent out to deliberate. Ms Patterson is facing trial accused of murdering three of her husband's family members, and the attempted murder of a fourth, with a poisoned beef Wellington lunch on July 29, 2023. Simon Patterson's parents, Don and Gail Patterson, and aunt, Heather Wilkinson, died in the week following the lunch while Heather's husband, Ian Wilkinson, survived. Prosecutors allege the 50-year-old deliberately sourced the deadly fungi and included it in the lunch intending to kill or at least seriously injure the four guests. She has pleaded not guilty, with her defence arguing she did not intentionally poison the meal, labelling the case a tragic accident. The trial, now in its eighth week, continues.
Daily Mail
2 days ago
- Daily Mail
Erin Patterson mushroom murder trial LIVE updates: Defence wraps up its case as marathon murder trial enters its final days
Murder trial winding up before jury handed the time to decide accused killer's fate Lead defence barrister Colin Mandy SC commenced his closing address to the jury in the Erin Patterson murder trial on Tuesday afternoon. Mr Mandy, who is expected to wrap up his closing address today, called the prosecution's case 'flawed' and even labelled an aspect of the case a 'charade'. Crown prosecutor Dr Nanette Rogers wrapped up her closing address to the jury just before lunch on Tuesday. Justice Christopher Beale has indicated he will commence his 'charge' to the jury after Mr Mandy has concluded his closing address. Justice Beale already indicated to the jury his final instructions will go for several days. The closings followed Patterson who entered the witness box for her eighth and final day in her own marathon murder trial last Thursday. Dozens of members of the public have braved the cold to queue up outside (pictured) the courthouse very early each morning to get a front row seat in the courtroom. Patterson, 50, is accused of murdering her in-laws, Don and Gail Patterson, and Gail's sister, Heather Wilkinson, after allegedly serving them a beef Wellington lunch made with death cap mushrooms. Patterson is also accused of attempting to murder Heather's husband, pastor Ian Wilkinson, who survived the lunch after spending several weeks in an intensive care unit. The court heard Patterson's estranged husband, Simon, was also invited to the gathering at her home in Leongatha, in Victoria's Gippsland region, but didn't attend. Witnesses told the jury that Patterson ate her serving from a smaller, differently-coloured plate to those of her guests, who ate off four grey plates. Patterson told authorities she bought dried mushrooms from an unnamed Asian store in the Monash area of Melbourne, but health inspectors could find no evidence of this.
Perth Now
2 days ago
- Perth Now
Cook did not want husband dead: Defence
Lawyers acting for alleged mushroom poisoner Erin Patterson have ridiculed an argument put forward by the prosecution that she also wanted to kill her husband, labelling it 'absurd', the jury has heard. During his closing address to the jury on Wednesday, defence barrister Colin Mandy SC said there was 'no possible prospect' Ms Patterson wanted to kill her husband. His comment came after Dr Rogers suggested the sixth beef Wellington Ms Patterson had prepared was 'clearly intended' for her husband Simon Patterson. 'The prosecution case is: had Simon Patterson changed his mind and decided to attend the lunch after all, he, too, would have been served that sixth poisoned beef Wellington,' she said on Monday. Erin Patterson has pleaded not guilty to three counts of murder and one count of attempted murder. 9News Credit: Supplied Previously the jury was told Ms Patterson had prepared six beef Wellingtons – one more than the number of people present at the lunch. In the witness box the accused woman disputed the sixth was intended for her husband, saying it was just an 'extra one' made because she had the ingredients and the steaks used came in twin packs. Dr Rogers pointed to the accused woman's evidence that if Simon had attended, she would have given him a beef Wellington too, and Ms Patterson's final message to her husband after he told her the night before the lunch he wouldn't come. 'I hope you'll change your mind. Your parents and Heather and Ian are coming at 12.30. I hope to see you there,' the message read. Simon Patterson told the jury the pair remain married. NewsWire / David Geraghty Credit: News Corp Australia Mr Mandy told the jury it was 'obvious from the tone of the message' his client did want him to come and was trying to guilt him into coming. 'The prosecution says the only reason she wanted him there was because she wanted to kill him as well. And that's, we say, an absurd theory,' he said. 'That would have had the result of removing from the children's lives their father, their grandparents, Simon's aunt and uncle. 'There's no possible prospect that Erin wanted in those circumstances to destroy her whole world, her whole life. Surely it's more likely that her account is true.' Also on Wednesday, Mr Mandy said he expected to conclude his remarks on Thursday morning. The update follows trial judge Justice Christopher Beale advising jurors earlier this week he would wait until Monday to begin his summing up of the case and charge, and that he expected this would take a couple of days. The jury would then be sent out to deliberate. Barrister Colin Mandy SC will continue his closing address on Thursday. NewsWire / Diego Fedele Credit: News Corp Australia Ms Patterson is facing trial accused of murdering three of her husband's family members, and the attempted murder of a fourth, with a poisoned beef Wellington lunch on July 29, 2023. Simon Patterson's parents, Don and Gail Patterson, and aunt, Heather Wilkinson, died in the week following the lunch while Heather's husband, Ian Wilkinson, survived. Prosecutors allege the 50-year-old deliberately sourced the deadly fungi and included it in the lunch intending to kill or at least seriously injure the four guests. She has pleaded not guilty, with her defence arguing she did not intentionally poison the meal, labelling the case a tragic accident. The trial, now in its eighth week, continues.
