Mushroom trial accused hoped cancer lie would 'die' with guests, prosecutor says

Prosecutors have accused a 50-year-old Australian woman of deliberately lying about a cancer diagnosis to lure her in-laws to a poisoned lunch that she thought they would not survive.

- MAROOSHA MUZAFFAR

The prosecution told the court yesterday that Erin Patterson deliberately lied to her in-laws about having cancer, fabricating medical appointments and test results.

"She knew how to tell convincing lies when it came to the cancer because she had put in the research," chief prosecutor Nanette Rogers SC told the court. "The prosecution says the accused put considerable thought and effort into this fake cancer claim and she deliberately set the trail in motion with Don and Gail."

She said that Ms Patterson had carefully crafted the false claim. According to the prosecution, Ms Patterson had no intention of ever being questioned about the lie, because she believed her lunch guests would not survive.

"Her lie would die with them," Dr Rogers said, adding that Ms Patterson admitted in court she was never diagnosed with cancer.

Ms Patterson has admitted that death cap mushrooms were in the meal but claimed they were added accidentally and denied any intent to harm her guests.

On 29 July 2023, Ms Patterson had her in-laws, Gail and Don Patterson, and local pastor Ian Wilkinson and his wife Heather (Gail's sister) over for lunch. Ms Patterson served beef Wellington to the Pattersons and Wilkinsons, after which the four guests became ill with vomiting and diarrhoea.

By 30 July, all four were hospitalised, and within the next day, they were transferred to Melbourne hospitals where doctors diagnosed them with death cap mushroom poisoning. On 31 July, Ms Patterson herself went to the hospital reporting she had eaten the same meal and felt unwell but discharged herself without treatment.

Gail Patterson and Heather Wilkinson died on 4 August, followed by Don Patterson on 5 August. Ian Wilkinson was released from the hospital on 19 September 2023 after seven weeks, most of which he spent in a coma. Ms Patterson is being tried for three charges of murder and one charge of attempted murder. She has pleaded not guilty to all charges.