An Australian woman who killed three relatives with poisonous mushrooms had previously tried to poison her husband with pasta, chicken curry and a sandwich, according to her criminal case file, which was made public in court on Friday.
Last month, a jury found that in 2023, 50-year-old Erin Patterson lured her mother-in-law, Gail Patterson, her father-in-law Donald Patterson and her sister-in-law Gail Heather Wilkinson to her home for dinner and poisoned them with beef Wellington laced with death cap mushrooms. They also found the woman guilty of attempting to murder her sister’s husband, Jan Wilkinson, who was present at the dinner but survived.
Four additional charges brought against Erin during the investigation relate to her ex-husband, Sam Patterson. Judge Christopher Beale ruled that they should be considered separately, but then, on the eve of the first trial, the prosecution suddenly withdrew the attempted murder charge. As a result, the jury never heard the circumstances of Patterson’s alleged attempts on her husband’s life in 2021 and 2022.
Simon Patterson himself stated that one day after a meal prepared by Erin, he felt very ill, after which he began to keep a record of his condition after eating other dishes given to him by his wife. He also felt unwell after eating penne bolognese, chicken curry and a sandwich roll. The man claims that in one case he was temporarily paralysed and doctors had to remove part of his intestine.
During the trial, evidence that Erin’s computer had been searched and found to contain information about poisonous substances and how to use them was not heard.
Patterson insists on her innocence, and her defence team has called the poisoning of her relatives a “terrible accident.” She also refuses to admit to the attempted murder of Simon.
