Hotels booked out ahead of accused mushroom cook killer Erin Patterson’s trial in Morwell
The sleepy rural centre of Morwell is bracing for an influx of visitors as the trial of Erin Patterson, who is accused of murder over a deadly mushroom meal, comes to town next week.
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The sleepy rural centre of Morwell is bracing for an influx of visitors as the trial of accused mushroom cook killer Erin Patterson comes to town next week.
The Supreme Court trial is expected to get underway from Tuesday, with Crown prosecutor Nanette Rogers SC and defence barrister Colin Mandy SC to deliver their opening remarks after a jury is empanelled.
Hotels and motels across Morwell, the heart of the Latrobe Valley in Victoria’s southeast, said they were booked solid from the middle of next week, with hospitality venues also expecting a rush of customers to come through their doors.
Rodney Hardy of the Olive Tree Motel said he had next to no vacancy late next week, with the flood of journalists coming to town.
“We are quite busy. We have a lot of the associated press staying,” he said.
“We also have some bloggers and other press as well.”
Mr Hardy said the trial also clashed with another local event which was making it even tighter.
“Most motels are doing quite well because there has been a lot of interest in this and then we have a Lions Club Convention on at the same time which is adding to the numbers,” he said.
Pubs, cafes and restaurants are also expected to do well with the influx of people coming and staying in town.
Duty manager at Top Pub, Jake Thompson, said the venue was conscious of the upcoming trial and prepared for an increase in customers.
“We are aware and we are expecting it to be busy,” he said.
Ms Patterson, 50, is accused of murdering her former in-laws Don and Gail Patterson, as well as Gail’s sister Heather Wilkinson, who all died in hospital days after consuming an allegedly deadly mushroom meal at her Leongatha home in July 2023.
Ms Patterson is also accused of attempting to murder Heather’s husband Ian Wilkinson, who survived following weeks of treatment in hospital.
She denies wrongdoing and has pleaded not guilty to the charges.
Originally published as Hotels booked out ahead of accused mushroom cook killer Erin Patterson’s trial in Morwell
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