liveErin Patterson mushroom murder trial live: Sole surviving lunch guest Ian Wilkinson gives evidenceBy Judd Boaz, court reporter Kristian Silva, Tim Callanan and staffTopic:Law, Crime and Justice4h ago4 hours agoTue 6 May 2025 at 12:20amSkip to timelineabc.net.au/news/erin-patterson-mushroom-murder-trial-live-blog-tues/105257526Link copiedShareShare articlePastor Ian Wilkinson, the sole surviving guest of Erin Patterson's deadly mushroom lunch, is giving evidence in her triple-murder trial.Ms Patterson has pleaded not guilty to murdering three relatives by serving them a beef Wellington laced with poisonous death cap mushrooms.Follow the trial in our live blog.Key EventsThe hearing has resumed5m ago5 minutes agoTue 6 May 2025 at 4:18amSeating arrangements at July 29 lunch58m ago58 minutes agoTue 6 May 2025 at 3:25amDefence begins cross-examination of Ian Wilkinson1h ago1 hours agoTue 6 May 2025 at 2:46amShow all key eventsLive updatesLatestOldestKey Event5m agoTue 6 May 2025 at 4:18amThe hearing has resumedJBy Joseph DunstanErin Patterson's defence lawyer Colin Mandy SC is cross-examining Ian Wilkinson, the sole surviving guest of the lunch.He takes Mr Wilkinson back to the point in the lunch where Erin was plating up.Copy link8m agoTue 6 May 2025 at 4:15amQ+A from the Mushroom Case Daily podcastKBy Kristian Silva and Stephen StockwellThe ABC’s Mushroom Case Daily podcast team are on the ground in Morwell, bringing you episodes every day of the trial.If you have a question, you can send it to: mushroomcasedaily@abc.net.au, and the team might answer it tonight on the show.Q: How do we know the jury can be impartial given how widely publicized the case was prior to trial? - The legal study students at Penleigh and Essendon Grammar SchoolA: This goes back to the very first day of the trial when that jury was empanelled. Justice Christopher Beale spoke to the jury panel and told them, if you cannot be impartial, you cannot sit on this trial.So that means if they've already forged opinions about this case, if they've been obsessively reading the stories or listening to the podcast, they're not suitable for this jury. They need to be the kinds of people that can weigh up the evidence and ignore all of the media reporting and even conversations at the weekend with their family, and just look at what's presented to the court to make a decision.The courts do give juries a fair amount of trust. They are held in high regard and there's a belief in the legal system that juries can follow the instructions set by judges.Copy link20m agoTue 6 May 2025 at 4:03amA recap of what we've heard so far todayJBy Joseph DunstanIf you're just joining us, you can catch up on the morning's evidence in this wrap from court reporter Kristian Silva, who's down at Morwell.Mushroom meal survivor takes the stand in Erin Patterson's trialCopy link48m agoTue 6 May 2025 at 3:35amA quick guide to the Patterson-Wilkinson familyJBy Joseph DunstanThe four guests invited to Erin Patterson's deadly lunch were her relatives by law, through her estranged husband Simon Patterson.How Erin Patterson is related to her lunch guests. (ABC News)Copy linkKey Event58m agoTue 6 May 2025 at 3:25amSeating arrangements at July 29 lunchJBy Judd BoazDuring his testimony, the prosecution had Ian Wilkinson draw a diagram of the seating arrangements at the lunch where he and others were poisoned.Here is where Ian says the guests sat on that day.Seating arrangements at July 29 lunch. (ABC News)Copy link1h agoTue 6 May 2025 at 3:10amWATCH: Only surviving guest of meal prepared by Erin Patterson gives evidenceJBy Judd BoazThe ABC's Alexandra Alvaro reports from Morwell, as Ian Wilkinson is called as a witness in the Erin Patterson murder trial.Loading...Copy link1h agoTue 6 May 2025 at 3:06amCourt breaks for lunchTBy Tim CallananErin Patterson's triple-murder trial has now been adjourned for a lunch break.We'll bring you more evidence once the hearing resumes.Copy link1h agoTue 6 May 2025 at 3:02amDefence again questions Ian Wilkinson's memoryJBy Judd BoazColin Mandy SC continues his questioning of Ian Wilkinson's memory over previous statements.He asks if Mr Wilkinson remembers the beef Wellingtons being served from a tray.When Ian says he cannot recall, Mr Mandy raises a statement made by Ian to police on September 5, 2023 while he was recuperating in the Austin Hospital.Mr Mandy says Ian mentioned the beef Wellington being served from a tray in this statement."Has that refreshed your memory?" Mr Mandy asks.Ian says he think it has, and he now believes he can picture it in his mind.There is a long pause before Mr Mandy suggest the court breaks for lunch.Copy link1h agoTue 6 May 2025 at 2:56amErin's pride in her own house disputed by IanJBy Judd BoazA debate over whether Erin Patterson was house-proud become a protracted discussion.Mr Mandy asks whether it was Ian's impression that Erin was proud of her house, which Ian disagrees with.After a pause, Mr Mandy brings up a previous statement made by Ian that said he believed Erin was in fact, proud of her house."On reflection I found those answers were not satisfactory," he says."I hadn't thought a great deal about the house and Erin being proud of the house and that sort of thing before you asked me those questions."Those answers weren't ... a fair representation of the events."Ian says there was no tour of the house, and Erin's house did not form a big part of the group's conversation.They eventually overcome the impasse and Ian agrees that Erin was probably proud of having built her house.Copy link1h agoTue 6 May 2025 at 2:50amGuest were 'happy' to attend lunchTBy Tim CallananIan Wilkinson says he was not present when Erin Patterson offered the lunch invitation to his wife Heather.He says he didn't know that other people were invited but he was "very happy" to attend.Ian confirms with Mr Mandy some of the previous evidence he gave about arriving at Erin Patterson's house for the lunch and conversations that happened before the lunch itself."It was clear to you that Erin was proud of the house that she'd invited you to?" Mr Mandy asks."I don't believe it was all that clear," Mr Wilkinson replies.Copy linkKey Event1h agoTue 6 May 2025 at 2:46amDefence begins cross-examination of Ian WilkinsonTBy Tim CallananIan Wilkinson is now being questioned by Erin Patterson's defence lawyer Colin Mandy SC.Mr Wilkinson confirms he was friendly with Erin when he saw her at the church where he was pastor and that he saw her at various family gatherings.Ian agrees with Mr Mandy that his wife Heather visited Erin occasionally to deliver gifts for her children.He says he understands Erin helped with broadcasting church services."I knew that she was involved at some level," he says.Copy linkKey Event1h agoTue 6 May 2025 at 2:44amIan Wilkinson loses weeks of memory following death cap poisoningJBy Judd BoazIan says the last thing he remembers being given a charcoal substance to drink at Dandenong Hospital.He tells the court he remembers being put into a "pod" next to Don and Gail Patterson, but did not have a conversation with them.The prosecution tells him he was intubated, transferred to the Austin Hospital for death cap mushroom poisoning.Ian says he is now aware of these facts.His hospital journey and recovery is recounted to him, and he confirms he was eventually discharged on September 21.Copy link1h agoTue 6 May 2025 at 2:39amIan and Heather spend night at Leongatha HospitalJBy Judd BoazIan says he continued experiencing diarrhoea during the day on the ward.Although he wanted to go home, the doctors were not satisfied with Ian and Heather's health, so the couple stayed the evening and slept."We did get some sleep, we were absolutely exhausted by this time," he says.Upon waking, they were rushed in their beds to the urgent care ward by nurses.Ian says a doctor then informed them of correspondence with Dandenong Hospital, and the discovery of a potential mushroom poisoning.They were advised of "time-critical treatment" available, and the need to transfer them to Dandenong Hospital.Ian says he was taken in the first ambulance, and Heather taken in the second.He says he was aware that Erin Patterson was also at Leongatha Hospital at the time.Copy linkKey Event1h agoTue 6 May 2025 at 2:35amPlate differences again brought up by Heather at hospitalJBy Judd BoazIan is asked about the plates at lunch, and says Heather had raised the point when wondering why they had fallen ill."The conversation that I remember was in the Leongatha Hospital, we might have discussed it a couple of times actually … Heather reminding me that there were different plates," he says.He says Heather had noticed the different colour plate that Erin had used.Ian tells the court that after arriving at hospital, the lunch was quickly identified as a possible cause for the poisoning."Suspicion was falling on the meat," he says.Ian says the mushrooms were not initially considered by medical staff as a cause.Copy link1h agoTue 6 May 2025 at 2:31amSimon Patterson drove couple to hospitalTBy Tim CallananIan Wilkinson says he spoke to Simon Patterson on the phone and he convinced them to go to hospital.Simon Patterson ended up driving Ian and Heather to Korumburra Hospital and was told there was no room at the hospital, so he drove them to Leongatha Hospital.Copy link1h agoTue 6 May 2025 at 2:27amCouple were 'camped' near bathroomsTBy Tim CallananIan Wilkinson explains he and his wife Heather were ill numerous times during the night."I was vomiting fairly regularly," he says.He explains he "camped" outside one of the toilets in the house while his wife stayed near another bathroom in the house.They both experienced vomiting and diarrhoea.The next morning, Ian says he let his church know someone else would need to run the Sunday service.Copy linkKey Event1h agoTue 6 May 2025 at 2:25amIan Wilkinson felt 'okay' after dinner — then illness set inTBy Tim CallananIan explains that he and the other guests left Erin Patterson's house and attended a meeting as planned around 3pm.He doesn't recall what he and Heather ate for their evening meal and they went to bed "a little later than normal" after 10pm.He also prepared for his church sermon which was to be delivered the following day.Ian says he was "feeling okay" in the evening but heard his wife Heather get up during the night and be physically ill."I dont think either of us were quite asleep, when Heather got up abruptly out of the bed and made her way into the laundry, and she was vomiting," he says.After a short while, Ian says he also began to feel ill."We were starting to feel pretty washed out, I was vomiting fairly regularly," he says.While symptoms abated slightly, both Heather and Ian stayed in separate bathrooms all evening.Copy linkKey Event2h agoTue 6 May 2025 at 2:23amLunch guests pray for ErinJBy Judd BoazIan says he led a prayer following the lunch, asking for "God's blessing on Erin" during her treatment.He also asked for wisdom for when she would have to speak with her children.After the prayer, conversation quickly changed topics as Erin's child entered the house.Copy link2h agoTue 6 May 2025 at 2:22amWitness chair sinks on Ian WilkisonKBy Kristian SilvaThere's laughter in the courtroom as the gas goes out of Mr Wilkinson's chair and he sinks out of view.Mr Wilkinson resurfaces and it is apparent he is ok."We do this to all our witnesses," Justice Christopher Beale jokes, to laughter in the courtroom.Even Erin Patterson has a wry smile on her face."I feel secure," Mr Wilkinson says, and we carry on.Copy linkKey Event2h agoTue 6 May 2025 at 2:19amErin raises alleged cancer after lunchJBy Judd BoazIan Wilkinson says following the lunch, Erin Patterson told the guests her medical concerns."After the lunch Erin announced that she had cancer," he says."She believed it was very serious, life-threatening."He says she asked the guests' advice about telling the children about what she called "this threat to my life".Ian says Erin told the guests about a diagnostic test she'd had that showed a tumour on a scan.He tells the court that Don spoke first and said it would be best to be honest with the children."In a moment of tension like that, maybe more time passes than you think, but I would say it was a relatively short conversation," he says.Ian says the conversation was broken up by the arrival of one of Erin's children with a friend.Copy linkShow more postsPosted 4h ago4 hours agoTue 6 May 2025 at 12:20am, updated 37m ago37 minutes agoTue 6 May 2025 at 3:46amShare optionsCopy linkFacebookX (formerly Twitter)TimelineRead nextTimelineKey EventsLatestThe hearing has resumed5m ago5 minutes agoTue 6 May 2025 at 4:18amSeating arrangements at July 29 lunch58m ago58 minutes agoTue 6 May 2025 at 3:25amDefence begins cross-examination of Ian Wilkinson1h ago1 hours agoTue 6 May 2025 at 2:46amIan Wilkinson loses weeks of memory following death cap poisoning1h ago1 hours agoTue 6 May 2025 at 2:44amPlate differences again brought up by Heather at hospital1h ago1 hours agoTue 6 May 2025 at 2:35amIan Wilkinson felt 'okay' after dinner — then illness set in1h ago1 hours agoTue 6 May 2025 at 2:25amLunch guests pray for Erin2h ago2 hours agoTue 6 May 2025 at 2:23amErin raises alleged cancer after lunch2h ago2 hours agoTue 6 May 2025 at 2:19amBanter over splitting beef Wellingtons featured during the lunch2h ago2 hours agoTue 6 May 2025 at 1:57amOne different plate used at lunch, Ian Wilkinson says2h ago2 hours agoTue 6 May 2025 at 1:47amBeef Wellingtons 'very much like a pasty', court hears2h ago2 hours agoTue 6 May 2025 at 1:44amErin 'very reluctant' for guests to visit pantry2h ago2 hours agoTue 6 May 2025 at 1:36amHeather Wilkinson's diary shown to court3h ago3 hours agoTue 6 May 2025 at 1:22amLunch guest hoped 'relationship with Erin was going to improve'3h ago3 hours agoTue 6 May 2025 at 1:20am'She just seemed like a normal person', surviving guest says3h ago3 hours agoTue 6 May 2025 at 1:16amIan Wilkinson called to the witness box3h ago3 hours agoTue 6 May 2025 at 1:05amGood 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