Erin Patterson's ex-husband tells court of her anger at 'separation'
Estranged husband of Erin Patterson, Simon, has taken the stand as the first witness in one of Australia's most high-profile murder trials, telling the court his relationship with his ex-wife was tense and strained in the lead-up to the fatal family lunch.
He also claims Erin lied about having cancer and became angry when he updated his tax return to reflect their separation.
Patterson, 50, has pleaded not guilty to three charges of murder and one of attempted murder over a 2023 lunch at her home in Leongatha.
She served up a beef Wellington with death cap mushrooms inside to her estranged husband's four relatives, but claims she did not know the dish was poisoned and that she also became sick herself.
Simon's parents, Don and Gail Patterson, and his aunt Heather Wilkinson all died in hospital after the lunch.
His uncle Ian Wilkinson became sick but recovered.
Don and Gail Patterson. (Source: Supplied)
Today, Simon Patterson emotionally recounted the fractured state of his marriage to Erin in the lead-up to a fatal family lunch on July 29, 2023, a meal that prosecutors allege was knowingly laced with poisonous death cap mushrooms.
"It was strained, there was tension," Simon told the court.
He said things took a turn in 2022 when Erin discovered he had marked them as separated on his tax return. “She said that mattered for a family tax benefit, or something of that nature,” he told the jury. “She was upset about it.”
Erin Patterson speaking to media shortly after the fateful lunch at her house. (Source: 1News)
The jury was shown text messages between the former couple, where Erin invited Simon to the lunch to discuss a “serious matter” about her health.
Simon said he declined, replying: “Sorry, I feel too uncomfortable about coming to lunch with you, Mum, Dad, Heather and Ian.”
Erin allegedly responded: “It’s important to me that you’re all there tomorrow. I’ve spent a small fortune on beef eye fillet to make beef Wellingtons.”
Simon then told the court that after the lunch, he visited his aunt and uncle’s house and called an ambulance after seeing their condition.
He said Heather Wilkinson told him that Erin had served herself from a different coloured plate than the rest of the family — something she found odd.
By the following day, multiple family members were in hospital.
Simon said he was later told by his father that Erin had claimed she had ovarian cancer, which was a lie and a diagnosis Simon said he had “never heard of before.”
Six points from Simon Patterson's testimony
- Erin had a close relationship with Simon's parents, and particularly with his father Don, with whom she shared a love of science
- Erin and Simon had a tumultuous relationship, experiencing several separations and reconciliations, with Simon emotionally saying "it was always her leaving me"
- Disagreements over property led to a rift between the pair, with Erin asking Simon's parents to intervene in the issue
- Erin inherited $2 million from her grandmother in 2006, money which was then used to purchase properties and facilitate loans to Simon's siblings
- Simon confirmed that Heather Wilkinson, who died following the lunch, was puzzled why Erin ate from different-coloured crockery to the rest of the group. Simon told the court Erin did not own many plates, and this may have been the reason why.
- A conversation at the hospital the day after the lunch was the first time Simon had heard of Erin using a food dehydrator.
Prosecutors allege Erin Patterson made a series of calculated decisions, including lying about her health, lying to police about foraging for mushrooms in areas known to contain deadly death caps and disposing of a food dehydrator that later tested positive for toxins. Her defence argues she panicked and that the incident was a tragic accident.
They also maintain that Erin herself fell ill after the meal.
Don and Gail Patterson. Heather Wilkinson and Ian Wilkinson.
Her in-laws Don and Gail Patterson, and Simon's aunt, Heather, died after that lunch. Ian, Heather's husband, was the only one to survive after spending weeks in hospital.
Erin was later charged with three counts of murder and one count of attempted murder. She denies the charges and has always maintained her innocence.
One thing that was not in dispute was that death cap mushrooms were in the dish.
But Justice Christopher Beale told jurors their task would be to decide whether Erin Patterson knew what she was doing and whether she intended to kill.
The trial continues in the Latrobe Valley, where the defence is cross-examining Simon Patterson.
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