Erin Patterson ‘seemed’ to love in-laws, estranged husband tells mushroom murder trial

ABC NEWS (Australia)

The ex-husband of accused killer Erin Patterson has given an emotional testimony in the witness box on day three of her triple murder trial. Simon Patterson’s parents and aunt died after being served a beef wellington meal that contained poisonous mushrooms. Today, he was quizzed about his strained relationship with his wife and their interactions before and after that fatal lunch.

Transcript

00:00He was once married to Erin Patterson, then estranged.

00:07Today, Simon Patterson was a key witness in her murder trial.

00:12Mr Patterson appeared emotional at times during questioning,

00:16asking for tissues at one point,

00:18his voice breaking when he spoke about his late father

00:21and his condition when he first saw him in hospital.

00:25He was really struggling, lying on his side, hunched quite noticeably.

00:29His voice was like he wasn't right inside.

00:32He was feeling pain.

00:34Simon Patterson was questioned at length about the nature of his relationship with Erin,

00:39saying she was intelligent, witty and could be quite funny.

00:43The court heard Erin later described their on-again, off-again relationship as toxic,

00:48but the pair maintained a functional relationship right up until 2023

00:53when Erin invited Simon to a lunch with his parents, aunt and uncle.

00:57Something he told the court he could never recall her doing before.

01:01The jury was shown a text exchange between Erin and Simon Patterson the day before the lunch.

01:07Simon saying sorry, but he felt too uncomfortable to come.

01:11Erin replied almost immediately,

01:13That's really disappointing.

01:15I've spent many hours this week preparing lunch for tomorrow.

01:18It's important to me that you're all there tomorrow and that I can have the conversations I need to have.

01:24I hope you change your mind.

01:26During cross-examination, the court heard Erin Patterson was the beneficiary of millions of dollars worth of family inheritance.

01:34Mr Patterson confirmed they'd handed interest-free loans to his siblings for hundreds of thousands of dollars.

01:41He agreed money had never been a motivating factor for his wife.

01:46He was also questioned about Erin Patterson's relationship with his parents.

01:50She especially got along with Dad, he said.

01:53They shared a love of knowledge and learning.

01:55I think she loved his gentle nature.

01:58Erin Patterson has pleaded not guilty to all charges against her.

02:02She's very badly, but there are many of them.

02:04Kissing the

02:05power to her, she said.

02:07She's terrible.

02:08She's a bad and

02:08He's kind of a sketchy boy.

02:09She's always just a beauty.

02:10She's very good.

02:11She's beautiful.

02:12She's beautiful.

02:13She's beautiful.

02:14I'm really very happy.

02:15She's beautiful.

02:17She's beautiful.

02:18She's beautiful.

02:19She's beautiful.

02:20This is beautiful.

02:22But she made me.

02:23We've got a good plan.

02:25She's beautiful.

02:26She's beautiful.

02:27It's beautiful.

02:28It's beautiful.

02:30She's beautiful.

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Transcript

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