• iconNews
  • videos
  • entertainment
  • Home
  • News
    • UK News
    • US News
    • Australia
    • Ireland
    • World News
    • Weird News
    • Viral News
    • Sport
    • Technology
    • Science
    • True Crime
    • Travel
  • Entertainment
    • Celebrity
    • TV & Film
    • Netflix
    • Music
    • Gaming
    • TikTok
  • LAD Originals
    • Say Maaate to a Mate
    • Daily Ladness
    • Lad Files
    • UOKM8?
    • FreeToBe
    • Extinct
    • Citizen Reef
  • Advertise
  • Terms
  • Privacy & Cookies
  • LADbible Group
  • UNILAD
  • SPORTbible
  • GAMINGbible
  • Tyla
  • UNILAD Tech
  • FOODbible
  • License Our Content
  • About Us & Contact
  • Jobs
  • Latest
  • Topics A-Z
  • Authors
Facebook
Instagram
X
Threads
Snapchat
TikTok
YouTube

LAD Entertainment

YouTube

LAD Stories

Submit Your Content
Woman accused of killing ex-husband’s family with poisonous mushrooms ate from a different coloured plate, court hears

Home> News> Crime

Updated 07:52 30 Apr 2025 GMT+1Published 07:31 30 Apr 2025 GMT+1

Woman accused of killing ex-husband’s family with poisonous mushrooms ate from a different coloured plate, court hears

The trial has begun for Erin Patterson who is accused of killing three relatives by allegedly serving them poisonous mushrooms

Anish Vij

Anish Vij

A woman from Australia who has been accused of killing her ex-husband’s family with poisonous mushrooms was said to have eaten from a different coloured plate, the court has heard.

Erin Patterson, whose trial has now begun, has been accused of killing three relatives and seriously injuring another by allegedly serving them poisonous mushrooms in 2023.

The 50-year-old invited former in-laws Gail and Don Patterson, both 70, Gail's sister, Heather Wilkinson, 66, and her husband Reverend Ian Wilkinson, 68, to her home in Leongatha, Victoria for lunch on 30 July 2023, where she served beef wellington.

Advert

Her estranged husband's parents both died days later as well as Gail's sister, Heather. Heather's husband Mr Wilkinson became ill but survived.

Patterson is now facing three murder charges and one count of attempted murder. She has denied all of the charges.

Former in-laws Gail and Don Patterson both died (Handout)
Former in-laws Gail and Don Patterson both died (Handout)

What has the prosecution alleged in Erin Patterson's trial?

The prosecution has said that Mr Wilkinson insisted there were four large grey dinner plates and a smaller one which was tan orange.

Advert

It was heard in court that Patterson ate from the smaller, different-coloured dinner plate.

Prosecutor Nanette Rogers told the jury that Ian and Heather ate all their portions, while Gail ate half and gave the rest to her husband.

During the meal, one guest allegedly asked: "Does Erin have a shortage of crockery?"

The prosecution also said that when Patterson visited hospital, she told staff: "I haven’t come prepared to be admitted to hospital, I was coming to be checked."

"She was adamant she would not stay," they added.

Advert

Patterson is facing three murder charges and one count of attempted murder (Nine)
Patterson is facing three murder charges and one count of attempted murder (Nine)

Meanwhile, Patterson said her children had the meat, potato and green beans - but no mushrooms.

She claims she scraped the mushrooms off because the children did not like them.

The jurors were told that doctors were keen to get the children into hospital as a precaution - but that Patterson insisted it was unnecessary.

Rogers added: “She did not appear to be concerned about the children’s health but rather about stressing them out."

What has Erin Patterson's defence said?

Defence barrister Colin Mandy told the jury that they should take into account how someone might react in such a situation.

Advert

"Might people say or do things that are not well thought out... and might make them look bad," Mandy said.

"The defence case is that she panicked because she was overwhelmed by the fact that these four people had become so ill because of the food she had served them. Three people died.

"Lots of people might have opinions or theories, but they aren’t based on the evidence... none of that should have any bearing on your decision," he added.

Featured Image Credit: Nine

Topics: Crime, Australia

Anish Vij
Anish Vij

Anish is a Journalist at LADbible Group and is a GG2 Young Journalist of the Year 2025. He has a Master's degree in Multimedia Journalism and a Bachelor's degree in International Business Management. Apart from that, his life revolves around the ‘Four F’s’ - family, friends, football and food. Email: [email protected]

X

@Anish_Vij

Advert

Advert

Advert

Choose your content:

3 hours ago
4 hours ago
5 hours ago
  • 3 hours ago

    NASA astronaut's stunning time-lapse of Earth lightning storm from ISS has to be explained to be believed

    NASA astronaut, Nichole Ayers, explained it all in her social media post online

    News
  • 3 hours ago

    Owner of Ancient Egyptian tomb finally identified 50 years after archaeologists' discovery

    The discovery is an important breakthrough according to local officials

    News
  • 4 hours ago

    30-year mystery of bone fragments washing up on US beaches is finally solved

    Bones were being washed ashore in the US, from 1995 to 2013 without any answers

    News
  • 5 hours ago

    New details emerge over devastating plane crash that claimed life of famous drummer Daniel Williams

    Crash investigators have shared details about what they believe caused the horrific incident

    News
  • Key evidence in court as woman accused of killing ex-husband's family with 'death mushrooms' in meal
  • Son reveals heartbreaking last text from his mum after she died from suspected poisonous mushrooms
  • Woman who cooked poisonous mushroom lunch 'that killed three' says her children ate the leftovers
  • Woman accused of running over her partner with her car 'after he ate one of her chips'