Erin Patterson trial: Mother’s Day text message aired in court

Alleged mushroom poisoner Erin Patterson sent a Mother’s Day message “to the best mother-in-law anyone can ask for”, her triple-murder trial has been told.

Messages between alleged mushroom poisoner Erin Patterson and her parents-in-law have been raised by her defence in the triple-murder trial.

On Friday, Detective Leading Senior Constable Stephen Eppingstall returned to the witness box for his fourth day of giving evidence as the last prosecution witness in the trial.

Jurors entered the court at 11.26am and were greeted by Justice Christopher Beale, who apologised for the delay and advised there would only be about a half-hour of evidence.

“We’ve been dealing with an issue … it’s no one’s fault, but that issue won’t be sorted out until Monday,” he said.

“You’re probably pretty frustrated sitting out there … thank you for your patience.”

Erin Patterson has pleaded not guilty to three counts of murder and one count of attempted murder. Picture: Supplied

Ms Patterson is facing trial accused of murdering her estranged husband Simon Patterson’s parents, Don and Gail Patterson, and aunt, Heather Wilkinson, after the trio died following a deadly beef wellington lunch in the Victorian town of Leongatha on July 29, 2023.

She is also accused of attempted to murder Heather’s husband Ian Wilkinson who survived after spending about a month and a half in hospital.

Prosecutors allege she deliberately poisoned the meal with death cap mushrooms while Ms Patterson’s defence have argued the deaths were a tragic accident.

‘Best mother-in-law’: Messages with in-laws exchanged

Constable Eppingstall was taken by Ms Patterson’s barrister Colin Mandy SC to a series of messages exchanged between his client and her in-laws Don and Gail in February, May and November 2022.

Between February 22 and 24, Ms Patterson exchanges Signal messages with Don about her experience with Covid and his grandson’s schooling.

Don offers to collect school books for the children and says he will “pray” for Erin’s health.

The pair arrange for Don to tutor his grandson in algebra, which Ms Patterson say’s he’s finding difficult, online over video software Jitsi.

“Thank you for the Jitsi with (son’s name) he says it’s great and you’re good at explaining maths,” Ms Patterson messages.

Don responds: “No worries he’s a good student.”

On May 8, 2022, Gail messages Erin: “Happy Mother’s Day, bless you.”

“Happy Mother’s Day to the best mother-in-law anyone can ask for,” Ms Patterson responds.

Simon’s parents Don and Gail Patterson died in early August 2023. Picture: Supplied

Constable Eppingstall is then taken to Signal messages from November 14-24 when Gail thanks Ms Patterson for making two slices.

She responds thanking her in-laws for the kind message and saying their granddaughter helped out.

On the 18th the pair discuss how Ms Patterson’s children were away from home, with Gail remarking it “must have been quiet last night”.

Ms Patterson responds that she “didn’t like it”.

Days later on the 24th, Gail sends a message to Ms Patterson to pass on to their grandson, saying they were praying for him ahead of surgery.

She thanks them and later messages “(son’s) surgeon came out let me know the surgery went fine”.

“In the recovery room with him now, waiting for him to wake up,” she writes.

Constable Eppingstall confirms he’s familiar with the messages, obtained as part of the investigation.

The officer is then taken to call charge records from Ms Patterson’s phone that show Ms Patterson was in frequent SMS communication with her in-laws between April 23 and July 13, 2023 – two weeks before the fatal lunch.

“We don’t have the content just the fact of communication,” Mr Mandy says.

Jurors were sent home for the weekend shortly after noon to return to court on Monday when Constable Eppingstall will return to the witness box.

Detective Leading Senior Constable Stephen Eppingstall was the officer tasked with investigating Ms Patterson. Picture: NewsWire / Diego Fedele

Defence raise ‘context’ for Erin’s messages

A series of messages sent by Ms Patterson to her online friends group needs to be examined in the “context” of a group of women venting about their lives, her lawyer has argued.

Mr Mandy revisited the messages his client sent to a Facebook group chat between December 6 and 9, 2022, complaining about her husband and his family.

He took Constable Eppingstall, the last prosecution witness of the trial, to the six pages the jury had seen, raising they were extracted from 186 pages of messages with an “enormous amount of context”.

“I accept there was a lot more conversation occurring,” Constable Eppingstall replied.

Ms Patterson has pleaded not guilty. Picture: NewsWire / Paul Tyquin

Ms Patterson’s chat logs were first raised in the trial last week when Victoria Police senior digital forensics officer Shamen Fox-Henry gave evidence about the messages found in cache data on a Samsung phone.

On Thursday, Mr Mandy provided several examples of messages between participants of the group, suggesting they needed to be seen in the full context.

“Simon’s dad contacted me this morning to say that he and Gail had tried to talk to Simon about the matters I raised and to get ‘his side’ but he refused to talk about it … So he said all that he can ask is that Simon and I get together to pray for the children (Emoji) (Emoji) this family I swear to f--king god,” the first message from Ms Patterson reads.

Mr Mandy took Constable Eppingstall to the “discussions left out” of the chat logs the jury say.
“What morons!” Ms Patterson’s friend Jenny Hay replies.

“Anyway you weren't asking them to adjudicate … You just wanted them to hear your story.

“So Simon is meant to pray for his own children because they have a s--t dad? It makes no sense.”

Ms Patterson responds; “I said to him about fifty times yesterday that I didn’t want them to adjudicate (Emoji) nobody bloody listens to me. At least I know they’re a lost cause.”

Later another friend, who’s name was redacted, replies; “its pathetic”.

“Even if he doesn’t want to talk about your marriage they could at least demand to know how he is financially supporting the kids.”

Ms Patterson replies by saying; “no nothing. But also more happened”.

“Don rang me last night to say that he though there was a solution to all this if Simon and I get together to try and talk and pray together (Emoji) (Emoji).”

After reading through the exchange, Mr Mandy questioned Constable Eppingstall if he accepted the chat contained multiple participants “talking like this, that is venting to each other”.

“Yes that’s fair to say sir, yes,” the officer responded.

The trial continues.