Erin Patterson mushroom murder trial LIVE updates: Deadly lunch survivor’s shock move as court is told guests’ verdict on how the fateful meal REALLY tasted

By PAUL SHAPIRO AND WAYNE FLOWER FOR DAILY MAIL AUSTRALIA

Published: 01:53 BST, 7 May 2025 | Updated: 03:14 BST, 7 May 2025

Follow Daily Mail Australia’s live coverage of accused mushroom chef Erin Patterson‘s murder trial at Latrobe Valley Magistrates’ Court in Morwell, Victoria.

Church members tell jury how they heard about ‘lovely’ and ‘delicious’ lunch

Korumburra Baptist Church treasurer Angela Child issued a statement which was read to the jury.

Ms Child said she had a meeting with Ian Wilkinson just hours after the fateful lunch.

She waited at their home for Ian and his wife Heather to arrive home.

When they arrived, Heather told Ms Child they ‘had a lovely lunch’.

‘Delicious and beautiful,’ the jury was told.

‘She continued to rave about the meal,’ Ms Child said.

Ms Child added that neither looked sick.

Church secretary Jennifer McPhee attended the same meeting and confirmed they spoke of the ‘delicious meal’.

‘She playfully teased Ian about how much he had eaten,’ Ms McPhee said in her statement to the court.

Lone survivor makes shock return to court

Survivor of the fatal mushroom lunch Ian Wilkinson has returned to court and is sitting just metres from the woman accused of murdering his wife, Heather.

Mr Wilkinson yesterday gave evidence in the trial of Erin Patterson (pictured below), who is also accused of attempting to murder the Korumburra Baptist Church pastor.

The only guest to survive the lunch was excused yesterday by the court after his lengthy and emotional evidence concluded – but he has returned to hear today’s session.

The jury heard evidence from toxicology specialist Dr Mark Douglas, who suspected Don and Gail Patterson were suffering from death cap mushroom poisoning but did not have enough medical evidence to administer the antidote for the lethal fungi.

Dr Douglas, who was the toxicology registrar at Dandenong Hospital when Don and Gail attended, was told the patients had consumed a potentially deadly meal about midday on July 29, 2023.

‘That was the question was being put forward, could these symptoms be related to the meal,’ Dr Douglas said.

He was also informed that Ian and Heather Wilkinson had presented at Leongatha Hospital with similar symptons and eaten the same meal prepared by Erin Patterson, who today appeared in court wearing a pink shirt.

Dr Douglas was also informed that Gail ate about a third of the meal, however she and Don were transported to the Austin Health ICU.

The jury heard Gail had been told her sister and Ian were being wheeled into hospital as well.

Dr Douglas told the jury that Mr Wilkinson was alert and talking on arrival at Dandenong Hospital, but he was extremely nauseated and carrying a vomit bag.

‘He was constantly vomiting,’ he said.

The jury heard Heather had also eaten the whole portion.

‘She said it was delicious,’ Dr Douglas said.

Erin Patterson’s sister-in-law breaks down on stand

Don and Gail Patterson’s daughter Danielle Romanes has tearfully told the jury of her conversation with her parents before their fatal lunch at Erin Patterson’s home.

‘They said they had been invited to Erin’s house for lunch,’ Ms Romanes said.

‘(Gail) said it was unusual that Heather and Ian (Wilkinson) had been invited because they hadn’t been invited to Erin’s before.’

Ms Romanes said she phoned her about 5pm on the day of the lunch and asked ‘how it went’.

‘Mum said it went well,’ she told the court.

Ms Romanes broke down in tears when confirming her parents ate beef Wellington.

‘It was too much for Mum, so Dad finished hers,’ she said.

Mr Romanes said her mother made no mention of being unwell. She learned of her parents’ illness the next day when her brother told her and their siblings in a text message that Don and Gail were in hospital.

‘He said that Mum and Dad were in hospital… experiencing vomiting and diarrhea since midnight,’ she told the court.

‘He said that Erin was experiencing diarrhea but was soldiering on at home.’

Ms Romanes also told the jury she was aware of another lunch in early 2023 when her parents attended Erin’s home.

She said her parents did not say who was present at the earlier lunch apart from mentioning they were the only adults there.

‘They ate a pie of some sort,’ she said.

Ms Ramones, who has known Erin since 2005, said neither of her parents became ill after that lunch.

The court heard that Erin and Ms Ramones had children born three days apart and they shared a ‘close relationship’ during their pregnancies.

The defence suggested that Ms Ramones and her partner had borrowed $400,000 from Erin to buy a house in 2011.

‘I don’t believe it was 2011,’ she said.

‘We had already purchased our home.’

However, Ms Ramones admitted the loan was made to ‘help with the house’.

She said it was indexed to inflation but no interest was charged.

Ms Ramones also said Erin attended family events and remained in a group chat chat on the Signal messaging app after her split from her now-estranged husband Simon Patterson (pictured below leaving court).

‘There was no animosity,’ Mr Ramones said.

Erin Patterson trial set to resume after jury hears horrifying final moments of dying lunch guests

The jury in the trial of Erin Patterson, who is accused of three counts of murder and one of attempted murder after serving a deadly mushroom-laden beef Wellington lunch, has heard how her guests died in agony.

The deceased lunch guests are Erin’s former parents-in-law Don and Gail Patterson and Gail’s sister Heather Wilkinson.

Pastor Ian Wilkinson (pictured below), who gave evidence yesterday that he prayed for Erin after she told her lunch guests she had cancer, also consumed the toxic meal but survived after spending several agonising weeks in intensive care.

Yesterday, Monash Health junior doctor Beth Morgan told the jury she reviewed initial examinations taken when Don and Gail first arrived at Dandenong Hospital about 7.30pm on July 31.

She said Don had signs of metabolic acidosis – a condition which makes the blood more acidic, as explained to the jury.

Dr Morgan also said Don was losing iron through his unabated vomiting and diarrhea.

She told the jury Don was severely dehydrated, had abnormal electrolyte readings and there was ‘significant kidney damage at this stage’.

The court heard Don had four liver function tests after arriving at the hospital and each one was abnormal.

Other medical witnesses told the court that Don and Gail had suffered vomiting and diarrhea up until their deaths.

Earlier yesterday, lead defence barrister Colin Mandy SC attempted to raise doubt over a key piece of evidence that his client ate from smaller plate than her guests.

The jury had earlier heard evidence that Erin Patterson ate from a small ‘orangy-tan’ plate while her guests ate from four larger grey plates.

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Erin Patterson mushroom murder trial LIVE updates: Deadly lunch survivor’s shock move as court is told guests’ verdict on how the fateful meal REALLY tasted

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