Woman on trial for killing 3 relatives of ex-husband with poison mushrooms testifies about marital issues

The woman accused of murder three members From the family of his ex-husband by serving them as toxic mushrooms, took a stand in an Australian court on Monday while the very publicized triple murder trial approaches his conclusion.

Erin Patterson50 Heather Wilkinson66 years old, and also to have tried to assassinate the husband of Wilkinson, Ian, 68, after the four consumed a meal at the home of Patterson in the state of Victoria in July 2023.

She could incur up to 25 years in prison for the attempted accusation of murder, while the murder in the state of Victoria has a maximum sentence of perpetuity.

His lawyer, Colin Mandy, previously said to the Supreme Court of the Victorian State during the six -week trial that poisoning was accidental.

The appearance of Patterson as a remote witness on Monday has marked the first time that the 50 -year -old has spoken since argue at all May of last year.

She served meals of Wellington beef, potato puree and green beans at home in the rural city of Leongartha on July 29, 2023. The four guests were hospitalized The next day, with poisoning from mushrooms of the decline in death, also known as Ammanita Phalloides, which were added to the beef and pastry dish. Ian Wilkinson survived after hepatic transplantation.

Under the question of Mandy, Patterson revealed personal battles with low self -esteem, a change of spirituality, the complicated birth of her son and the growing distance of the family of her husband distant in recent years.

“I had felt for a few months that my relationship with the wider family of Patterson, and in particular Don and Gail, may have had a little more distance or space between us,” said Patterson. “We saw ourselves less.”

She described how the husband Simon – the couple was distant but still legally married – seemed to push her out of the family in front of the fatal meal.

“I would worry that Simon no longer wanted me to be too involved in the family,” she said. “I was not invited to so much.”

Patterson is due to return to the positions of the witnesses on Tuesday while the trial continues.

The accusation finished the presentation of his testimony to a jury of 14 people earlier Monday afternoon.

“They can be frightened and alive or dead”

Last month, Ian Wilkinson told the courtroom that he and his wife had been “very happy to be invited” to lunch, The BBC reported.

Wilkinson told court that Patterson had “all the food”, according to the BBC.

“Everyone had an individual service, it looked a lot like a pasty,” he said. “It was a pastry and when we cut it, there was steak and mushrooms.”

The court also learned that the husband of the host of Erin Patterson, Simon, had been invited to the meal but refused, saying that he was uncomfortable with the prospect.

Erin Patterson went to hospital two days after lunch, but left for five minutes later against medical advice, said the doctor.

“I was surprised,” he told court.

Patterson returned later and said to webster that his children had also consumed Wellington beef – but not mushrooms or pastry.

She hesitated to talk to them about poisoning in case they become “frightened,” said the doctor. “I said,” They can be frightened and alive or dead. “”

The court also heard another son of Don and Gail Patterson, Matthew, who said he had called the lunch host to ask where the mushrooms came from.

Death ceilings are responsible for 90% of the poisoning of fatal mushrooms worldwide, the BBC reported.

In 2022, the Massachusetts doctors were able to save a mother and a son who Almost dead From the poisoning with mast mushrooms. In 2020, a wave of poisonings in Victoria, Australia, killed a person and hospitalized seven others.