Erin Patterson trial: Phone placed in vicinity of Loch, Outtrim after death cap sightings

Alleged triple-killer Erin Patterson’s mobile phone movements after she checked herself out of hospital against medical advice have been probed in her trial.

Alleged triple-killer Erin Patterson’s mobile phone movements after she checked herself out of hospital against medical advice has been probed in her trial.

Giving evidence at Ms Patterson’s triple-murder trial, Digital Forensic Sciences Australia’s Dr Matthew Sorrell told the court he sifted through more than four years of her phone records.

On Tuesday morning, Dr Sorrell was quizzed about Ms Patterson’s phone’s movement’s between 8am and 10am on July 31, 2023.

Previously, the jury was told she presented at Leongatha Hospital at 8.05am, discharged herself five minutes later before returning about 9.45am.

Dr Sorrell said at 8.31am her phone connected to a Leongatha tower, before connecting to Outtrim three times between 8.55am and 8.58am and later reconnecting to Leongatha at 9.23am.

He said it indicated a “possible visit” to the Outtrim post code but it was “not strongly supported by the evidence”.

“There is a gap in the records of about 30 minutes,” he said.

Dr Sorrell said he could not exclude the possibility that the connections represented movement inside a house.

Giving evidence on Monday, he told the jury phones will connect to the cell tower providing the best signal.

“The base station that gives you the best service at the front door of your house may be different to the base station that gives you the best service at the back door,” he said.

Dr Sorrell will continue to give evidence when the trial returns after lunch. Picture: NewsWire/ David Crosling

Defence explore limitations to phone records
During cross-examination by Ms Patterson’s defence barrister Colin Mandy SC, Dr Sorrell conceded there were limitations to how reliable the cellphone data could be in determining a phone’s location.

He agreed with Mr Mandy’s suggestion there was no way to pin a phone to a particular location without “corroborating evidence”.

Using the town of Outtrim as an example, Mr Mandy asked the expert if it was possible the phone could visit the area and not connect to the two local cell tower base stations.

“There’s all number of reasons that could occur, yes,” he said.

Dr Sorrell explained weather, geography and topography or even the power, height and tilt of an antenna could cause a phone to choose a tower that is further away by provides better signal.

Highlighting this, he told the jury he once saw a case where a phone preferenced a tower 60km away.

He will continue giving evidence when the trial returns at 2.15pm following the lunch break.

Ms Patterson’s defence is being lead by barristers Colin Mandy SC and Sophie Stafford. Picture: NewsWire/ David Crosling

Expert tasked with examining potential visits to mushroom sightings

Dr Sorrell said he was tasked with finding potential visits to the Loch and Outtrim postcodes — two townships near Ms Paterson’s Leongatha home where the deadly mushroom had been observed.

Earlier in the trial, two witnesses gave evidence they located death cap mushrooms in those towns and posted details including a precise location on citizen science website iNaturalist.

Christine McKenzie said she posted the mushrooms on April 18, 2023, in Loch, while Dr Tom May posted a sighting of death caps in Outtrim on May 21 the same year.

Fungi expert Dr Tom May said he found the death caps while visiting Outtrim. Picture: NewsWire/ David Crosling

Retired pharmacist Christine McKenzie said she spotted the mushrooms under an oak tree. Picture: NewsWire / David Geraghty

Three ‘potential’ visits to mushroom sightings: Expert

Dr Sorrell told the jury Ms Patterson’s phone could have possibly visited Loch between 9.14am and about 10am on April 28.

He said the records indicate movement out of Korrumburra, connecting to Loch and a return to Korrumburra, but there was an “absence” of records for the middle of that period.

“While there is a potential visit, it doesn’t definitely point to being in the Loch township,” he said.

On May 22, Dr Sorrell said the phone records indicate potential visits to both Loch and Outtrim.

He said Ms Patterson’s phone connected with the Loch South base station “every five minutes” from 9.19am until about 10am.

Later the same morning, he said the records indicate support the opinion the phone could be in the northern section of Outtrim” between 11.24am and 11.49am.

Ms Patterson has pleaded not guilty. Picture: Brooke Grebert-Craig.

Dr Sorrell is expected to face cross-examination from Ms Patterson’s defence when the trial resumes on Tuesday.

Ms Patterson is facing trial after pleading not guilty to the murder of three of her husband’s relatives and the attempted murder of one more.

Simon Patterson’s parents, Don and Gail Patterson, and his aunt Heather Wilkinson died from death cap mushroom poisoning in the week after eating a beef wellington at Ms Patterson’s home on July 29, 2023.

Heather’s husband, Ian Wilkinson, recovered after spending a month and a half in hospital.

Prosecutors allege Ms Patterson deliberately spiked the lunch with “murderous intent”, while her defence argues the case is a “tragic accident”.

The trial continues.

Originally published as Erin Patterson trial: Phone placed in vicinity of Loch, Outtrim after death cap sightings