The subsequent witness is Ian Wilkinson, who survived the mushroom lunch served by Erin on 29 July 2023.
Key occasions
Ian Wilkinson says late spouse Heather ‘fairly excited’ about lunch
The examination now turns to the invite for the mushroom lunch.
Ian recollects Heather telling him at church that they’d been invited to Erin’s residence for a meal in July 2023.
He says Heather was “fairly excited” in regards to the invitation:
There was no cause for the lunch…. We had been very completely happy to be invited. It appeared like perhaps our relationship with Erin was going to enhance.
Ian says the pair had been “very happy” to simply accept the lunch invite.
He says at first the couple thought they had been the one individuals invited.
They later came upon that Heather’s sister, Gail and her husband, Don had additionally been invited.
Erin’s estranged husband, Simon, was additionally invited to the lunch, the courtroom hears.
‘Just seemed like a normal person’
Lenthall asks how Wilkinson would he would describe Erin:
Simply appeared like a standard particular person to me… once we met, appeared fairly pleasant. We by no means had arguments or disputes.
She simply appeared like an bizarre particular person.
Lenthall turns to his statement of Simon and Erin’s marriage. He says he had a “couple” of conversations with Simon in regards to the pair’s marriage challenges once they lived individually for durations of time.
Wilkinson says he had solely eaten with Erin beforehand for wider household gatherings like Christmas events. He says these meals had been sometimes hosted at Simon’s mother and father’ home.
‘More like acquaintances,’ Ian Wilkinson says of Erin Patterson
Wilkinson says he met Erin by means of his nephew, Simon Patterson (Erin’s estranged husband).
He’s requested about his relationship with Erin:
I’d say our relationship was pleasant, amicable. It didn’t have a lot depth. We had been extra like acquaintances. We didn’t see a substantial amount of one another.
He says when Erin attended their church, they’d have “casual conversation”.
Wilkinson says Heather had a “very similar” relationship with Erin:
Heather would have seen Erin greater than me, talked to her greater than me. However we didn’t take into account that the connection was shut.
Ian Wilkinson testimony begins
Prosecutor Sarah Lenthall has begun her examination of Wilkinson.
He tells the courtroom he’s the pastor on the Korumburra Baptist Church.
Wilkinson met his spouse Heather in 1976 they usually later had 4 kids, the courtroom hears.
Heather, 66, was educating English to migrants when she died in 2023, Wilkinson says.
The subsequent witness is Ian Wilkinson, who survived the mushroom lunch served by Erin on 29 July 2023.
Court docket proven receipt for dehydrator that Erin Patterson purchased
The prosecution has referred to as Darren Fox, the proprietor and supervisor of an home equipment retailer in Leongatha.
He says in November 2023 an worker advised him she believed she had offered Erin Patterson, who lives in Leongatha, a meals dehydrator.
Fox says retailer data confirmed Erin had bought a Sunbeam meals lab digital dehydrator.
The courtroom is proven a tax bill which says “deliver to” Erin, dated 28 April 2023.
The jurors have entered the courtroom.
The subsequent witness within the Erin Patterson homicide trial shall be referred to as shortly.
Our reporter Nino Bucci was in courtroom yesterday in Morwell, the place the supreme courtroom is sitting for the trial. Right here is his report:
Recap: testimony from day 5
As we anticipate the trial to start out as we speak, right here’s a recap of 4 issues jurors heard on Monday:
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Erin’s estranged husband, Simon, denied asking her “is that what you used to poison them?” within the days instantly after the deadly mushroom lunch. It was alleged he was referring to the meals dehydrator, the courtroom heard, though it was not clarified who “them” referred to.
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The courtroom was proven a Fb message Erin wrote in 2023 earlier than the lunch, in accordance with her on-line good friend Daniela Barkley. It learn: “I’ve been hiding powdered mushrooms in everything. Mixed into chocolate brownies yesterday, the kids had no idea.”
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A Fb good friend of Erin recalled her describing her estranged husband, Simon, as “coercive” and her in-laws as “demanding”. The three Fb associates who gave proof didn’t meet her in particular person however communicated in on-line true crime teams, on-line chats and cellphone calls.
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The identical witness, Christine Hunt, stated Erin was “well regarded” within the Fb group and often called a superb researcher, describing her as a “super sleuth.”
Welcome to day six of Erin Patterson’s homicide trial
We’re anticipating as we speak’s proof to start at 10.30am when extra witnesses will testify.
Patterson, 50, faces three costs of homicide and one cost of tried homicide regarding a beef wellington lunch she served at her home in Leongatha, in regional Victoria, in July 2023.
She is accused of murdering her in-laws, Don and Gail Patterson and the aunt of her estranged husband, Heather Wilkinson. The tried homicide cost pertains to Heather’s husband, Ian.
She has pleaded not responsible to the fees. The defence’s case is that the occasions had been an accident and Patterson by no means supposed to hurt her lunch friends.
