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Erin Patterson’s estranged husband has denied asking her “is that what you used to poison them?” within the days instantly after the lethal mushroom lunch.
Patterson, 50, faces three costs of homicide and one cost of tried homicide referring to a beef wellington lunch she served at her home in Leongatha in South Gippsland in 2023.
Patterson has pleaded not responsible to murdering or making an attempt to homicide the kinfolk of her estranged husband, Simon Patterson.
She is accused of murdering Simon’s dad and mom, Don and Gail Patterson, his aunt Heather Wilkinson, and making an attempt to homicide Ian Wilkinson, Simon’s uncle and Heather’s husband.
On Monday, Simon gave proof for a 3rd day within the trial, beneath cross-examination from Patterson’s lawyer, Colin Mandy SC. The supreme courtroom is sitting in Morwell.
Simon, 50, advised the courtroom it was attainable he and Patterson have been left alone at varied occasions whereas she was receiving remedy at Monash medical centre on 31 July 2023, two days after the lunch.
Their two youngsters have been additionally being monitored on the hospital on the time. The courtroom heard final week that the household have been discussing Patterson conducting a “style take a look at” on their youngest little one with muffins made utilizing mushrooms that she had dehydrated.
Mandy requested Simon on Monday whether or not the 2 youngsters left Patterson’s hospital room quickly after this, and Simon requested her “is that what you used to poison them?”. Mandy didn’t say who “them” could have referred to.
“I didn’t say that to Erin,” Simon responded.
Simon was once more requested a couple of collection of messages exchanged between him and Patterson. These messages included some shared on a Sign group chat along with his dad and mom.
Mandy mentioned to Simon that the one messages between him and Patterson referring to little one help and parenting preparations uncovered through the police investigation had been put to him throughout his proof.
However Simon mentioned the messages he was referring to on Friday, when he described her “extraordinarily aggressive” conduct and “inflammatory” messages to the group chat, had not been learn in courtroom.
Below reexamination from prosecutor Nanette Rogers SC, Simon mentioned the message was so inflammatory that he was “extraordinarily relieved” his mom had not learn it.
He advised the courtroom that as a result of his mom, Gail, grew to become anxious after falling unwell with encephalitis, Simon and his father instigated a “coverage” that she ought to now not learn messages despatched by Patterson to the chat in case they worsened her nervousness.
Simon mentioned the message was in response to issues he raised about their oldest little one showing “exhausted” throughout common weekend visits with him, and him asking Patterson to make sure the kid went to mattress earlier.
Simon mentioned the message was having a “crack at me” and “accusing me” of issues, which he would have been OK about if it was despatched on to him, however “I’m nonetheless upset” that Patterson despatched it to the group chat.
“I let you know what, if mum had learn that, I don’t know what that might have carried out to her,” Simon advised the courtroom.
Among the many messages that have been learn in courtroom was one other change within the group chat in early December 2022, when Patterson despatched a protracted message referring to the continuing dispute between the estranged couple concerning little one help.
Simon advised the courtroom final week {that a} miscommunication between himself and his accountant resulted in him being listed as “separated” on his tax return earlier that 12 months.
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This had household tax profit and little one help implications, the courtroom has heard. Patterson mentioned within the lengthy message that the profit had been price about $15,000 a 12 months.
Simon advised the courtroom final week that he was suggested by little one help authorities to not pay any bills referring to the kids, together with faculty and medical charges, whereas the quantity he needed to pay in little one help was calculated.
Within the message, Patterson begins by saying that she will be able to’t cease enthusiastic about a remark Don made on the cellphone the earlier night in regards to the monetary points being a “easy” factor to resolve.
She mentioned it was under no circumstances easy, because the estranged couple had been “principally mendacity to the federal government”. Of Simon, she mentioned “I foolishly trusted him to do proper by me and the youngsters when it got here to the crunch”, and described him as “a naked minimal guardian”.
Don replied that he could have misrepresented Simon, and that it was “finest to maneuver on”, however Patterson replied that following day that she would proceed to replace the group in regards to the monetary dispute to maintain Simon accountable.
Different messages exchanged between the estranged couple present Patterson asking whether or not Simon might assist transfer a tree off a fence at her property. The fence had been broken, permitting one among Patterson’s goats right into a neighbour’s yard. Patterson was holidaying along with her youngsters in New Zealand on the time
“Hey I perceive we don’t actually have the sort of the connection the place I can ask for a favour proper now,” Patterson began her textual content, on 18 December 2022.
“Hey there, I’m at all times your husband regardless of how we’re doing,” he responded.
Simon was additionally requested throughout reexamination why he had not contacted Patterson or his dad and mom after the lunch to ask in regards to the “medical challenge” she talked about to him as the rationale for inviting him and the opposite friends to her property.
He talked about a number of causes, together with that his dad and mom would have thought-about it was Patterson’s information to inform, and that he couldn’t “reconcile” the actual fact Patterson described it as critical, however the lunch was to be held virtually two weeks later.
“I didn’t really feel utterly assured there was a critical medical challenge to be mentioned,” he advised the courtroom.
The courtroom beforehand heard Patterson advised her lunch friends she had been identified with ovarian most cancers, however Mandy mentioned she by no means had most cancers.
Simon, who accomplished his proof shortly after noon, spent greater than seven hours within the witness field. The trial continues.
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