Alleged mushroom murders trial: husband denies asking Erin Patterson ‘is that what you used to poison them?’

Erin Patterson’s estranged husband has denied asking her “is that what you used to poison them?” within the days straight away after the fatal mushroom lunch.

Patterson, 50, faces 3 fees of homicide and one fee of tried homicide in relation to a pork wellington lunch she served at her area in Leongatha in South Gippsland in 2023.

Patterson has pleaded no longer to blame to murdering or making an attempt to homicide the kin of her estranged husband, Simon Patterson.

She is accused of murdering Simon’s folks, 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, below cross-examination from Patterson’s attorney, Colin Mandy SC. The preferrred court docket is sitting in Morwell.

Simon, 50, instructed the court docket it used to be conceivable he and Patterson have been left by myself at more than a few occasions whilst she used to be receiving remedy at Monash clinical centre on 31 July 2023, two days after the lunch.

Their two youngsters have been additionally being monitored on the medical institution on the time. The court docket heard closing week that the circle of relatives have been discussing Patterson engaging in a “taste test” on their youngest kid with cakes made the use of mushrooms that she had dehydrated.

Mandy requested Simon on Monday whether or not the 2 youngsters left Patterson’s medical institution room quickly after this, and Simon requested her “is that what you used to poison them?”. Mandy didn’t say who “them” can have referred to.

“I did not say that to Erin,” Simon replied.

Simon used to be once more requested a couple of collection of messages exchanged between him and Patterson. These messages integrated some shared on a Signal team chat along with his folks.

Mandy mentioned to Simon that the one messages between him and Patterson relating to kid improve and parenting preparations exposed all through the police investigation were put to him all through his proof.

But Simon mentioned the messages he used to be relating to on Friday, when he described her “extremely aggressive” behavior and “inflammatory” messages to the gang chat, had no longer been learn in court docket.

Under reexamination from prosecutor Nanette Rogers SC, Simon mentioned the message used to be so inflammatory that he used to be “extremely relieved” his mom had no longer learn it.

He instructed the court docket that as a result of his mom, Gail, turned into worried after falling unwell with encephalitis, Simon and his father instigated a “policy” that she must now not learn messages despatched by means of Patterson to the chat in case they worsened her anxiousness.

Simon mentioned the message used to be in line with issues he raised about their oldest kid showing “exhausted” all through common weekend visits with him, and him asking Patterson to verify the kid went to mattress previous.

Simon mentioned the message used to be having a “crack at me” and “accusing me” of items, which he would were OK about if it used to be despatched immediately to him, however “I’m still upset” that Patterson despatched it to the gang chat.

“I tell you what, if mum had read that, I don’t know what that would have done to her,” Simon instructed the court docket.

Among the messages that have been learn in court docket used to be some other alternate within the team chat in early December 2022, when Patterson despatched an extended message relating to the continued dispute between the estranged couple referring to kid improve.

Simon instructed the court docket closing week {that a} miscommunication between himself and his accountant led to him being indexed as “separated” on his tax go back previous that 12 months.

This had circle of relatives tax get advantages and kid improve implications, the court docket has heard. Patterson mentioned within the lengthy message that the convenience were price about $15,000 a 12 months.

Simon instructed the court docket closing week that he used to be recommended by means of kid improve government to not pay any bills in relation to the youngsters, together with faculty and clinical charges, whilst the quantity he needed to pay in kid improve used to be calculated.

In the message, Patterson begins by means of pronouncing that she will be able to’t prevent fascinated with a remark Don made at the telephone the former night time in regards to the monetary problems being a “simple” factor to get to the bottom of.

She mentioned it used to be certainly not easy, because the estranged couple were “basically lying to the government”. Of Simon, she mentioned “I foolishly trusted him to do right by me and the kids when it came to the crunch”, and described him as “a bare minimum parent”.

Don responded that he can have misrepresented Simon, and that it used to be “best to move on”, however Patterson responded that following day that she would proceed to replace the gang in regards to the monetary dispute to stay Simon responsible.

Other messages exchanged between the estranged couple display Patterson asking whether or not Simon may lend a hand transfer a tree off a fence at her belongings. The fence were broken, permitting one in every of Patterson’s goats right into a neighbour’s backyard. Patterson used to be holidaying together with her youngsters in New Zealand on the time

“Hey I understand we don’t really have the kind of the relationship where I can ask for a favour right now,” Patterson began her textual content, on 18 December 2022.

“Hey there, I’m always your husband no matter how we’re doing,” he replied.

Simon used to be additionally requested all through reexamination why he had no longer contacted Patterson or his folks after the lunch to invite in regards to the “medical issue” she discussed to him as the cause of inviting him and the opposite visitors to her belongings.

He discussed a number of causes, together with that his folks would have regarded as it used to be Patterson’s information to inform, and that he couldn’t “reconcile” the truth Patterson described it as severe, however the lunch used to be to be held virtually two weeks later.

“I didn’t feel completely confident there was a serious medical issue to be discussed,” he instructed the court docket.

The court docket prior to now heard Patterson instructed her lunch visitors she were identified with ovarian most cancers, however Mandy mentioned she by no means had most cancers.

Simon, who finished his proof in a while after noon, spent greater than seven hours within the witness field. The trial continues.