Erin Patterson didn't let lunch guests plate their food and was 'reluctant' to let them see pantry, mushroom trial hearsBy court reporter Kristian SilvaTopic:Law, Crime and Justice28m ago28 minutes agoTue 6 May 2025 at 3:55amErin Patterson has pleaded not guilty to three counts of murder and one of attempted murder. (AAP Image: James Ross )In short:Pastor Ian Wilkinson, the sole surviving guest of a lunch containing death cap mushrooms, has given evidence in Erin Patterson's triple-murder trial.He told the court Ms Patterson would not let the others help serve out the beef Wellingtons and was reluctant to let them into her pantry.What's next?Ian Wilkinson will continue giving evidence in the trial, which is expected to run for several weeks.abc.net.au/news/erin-patterson-mushroom-murder-trial-pantry-lunch-plates/105257724Link copiedShareShare articleErin Patterson refused to let her lunch guests help plate up food and was "reluctant" to allow them to view her pantry, her trial has been told.The claim was made by pastor Ian Wilkinson, the sole survivor out of four guests who attended a lunch at Ms Patterson's home on July 29, 2023.Mushroom murder trial live updates: Get the latest updates from the courtroomFirst week recap: Catch up on the first week of the trialProsecutors allege Ms Patterson deliberately laced the beef Wellingtons she served her guests with poisonous death cap mushrooms.She has pleaded not guilty to three counts of murder and one count of attempted murder.Mr Wilkinson was called to the stand on Tuesday to describe his recollections of the lunch."My name is Ian William Wilkinson," the church pastor said, his voice shaking.Ian Wilkinson attended Erin Patterson's murder trial hearing in Morwell on Tuesday. (AAP: Joel Carrett)Soon, Mr Wilkinson's mood lightened, and he chuckled as he described his late wife Heather, "the baby of the family", who worked as a teacher's aide.His tone became more serious as questions turned to the lunch at the centre of the triple-murder trial.Mr Wilkinson said he and his wife, along with Ms Patterson's in-laws Don and Gail, were invited to Ms Patterson's Leongatha home."[We] were very happy to be invited, yes. It seemed maybe our relationship with Erin was going to improve," he said.When the group arrived at the home, Mr Wilkinson said, his wife was keen to check out Ms Patterson's pantry because she was organising a similar space at their home.The four guests invited to Erin Patterson's deadly lunch were her relatives by law, through her estranged husband Simon Patterson. (ABC News)"Heather was calling out to me, 'come and look at the pantry'," Mr Wilkinson said."I'd noticed Erin was very reluctant about the visit to the pantry and had not yet started following [Heather and Gail] so I thought maybe the pantry's a mess, an embarrassment, and I won't add to the embarrassment by joining the party," he said.After some small talk, Mr Wilkinson said food was being prepared in the kitchen by Ms Patterson."Both Heather and Gail were offering to help plate up the food. The offer was rejected and Erin plated," he said.The church pastor said the guests ate off grey plates, but Ms Patterson's plate was an orange, tan colour.Mr Wilkinson said each plate had a serving of mashed potatoes, green beans and an individually-cased beef Wellington, which resembled a pasty."When you cut into it there was steak and mushrooms," he said.Erin Patterson tells guests she had cancerMr Wilkinson said the group said grace and tucked into their meals. He and his wife ate their entire servings, while Don ate his meal and half of his wife's.The guests ate some of the dessert of cake and a fruit platter before Ms Patterson dropped a bombshell, claiming she had been diagnosed with cancer, Mr Wilkinson said."In that moment I thought,'this is the reason we've been invited to the lunch," he said."I thought it was some sort of ovarian or cervical cancer, something like that."Ian Wilkinson arrives at the Latrobe Valley Law Courts on May 6, 2025. (ABC News)Mr Wilkinson said Ms Patterson had sought advice from the guests on how to break the news of the cancer to her children and was told by Don Patterson that the best approach was to be honest.Earlier in the trial, Erin Patterson's lawyers conceded the cancer claim was false.Mr Wilkinson said later that night, he and his wife began feeling sick. The following morning, the Wilkinsons went to the Leongatha hospital, on the insistence of his nephew Simon Patterson.Mr Wilkinson said his wife repeatedly remarked about how Ms Patterson had eaten off a different-coloured plate.He said hospital staff initially feared their diarrhoea and vomiting was down to food poisoning. The following day they were woken abruptly and rushed to the Dandenong Hospital.The group were moved again to the Austin Hospital and in the days that followed, Mr Wilkinson's wife Heather, Don and Gail Patterson died.Mr Wilkinson survived and was allowed to return home on September 21, close to two months after the lunch.The trial continues.Posted 28m ago28 minutes agoTue 6 May 2025 at 3:55am, updated 19m ago19 minutes agoTue 6 May 2025 at 4:03amShare optionsCopy linkFacebookX (formerly Twitter)Top StoriesErin 'very reluctant' to let lunch guests near pantry, court hearsLIVEPhoto shows A digital drawing of Erin Patterson wearing a pink shirtNationals deputy leader 'shattered' she will likely lose Senate seatLIVEPhoto shows Perin Davey listens to a press conference by Water Minister Tanya Plibersek at Parliament HouseCould Labor's thumping election win put tax reform back on the agenda?Topic:TaxPhoto shows A man sitting on a stage wearing a suit and tie.Grandmother in custody as town reels after deaths of two young boysLIVEPhoto shows CoonabarabranGreens' Adam Bandt in danger as seat of Melbourne remains on knife's edgeTopic:ElectionsPhoto shows A composite photo of a brunette woman, brown haired man with glasses, blonde woman with glasses and dark haired man.Related storiesErin 'very reluctant' to let lunch guests near pantry, court hearsLIVEPhoto shows A digital drawing of Erin Patterson wearing a pink shirtRelated topicsCourtsKorumburraLaw, Crime and JusticeLeongathaMorwellTop StoriesErin 'very reluctant' to let lunch guests near pantry, court hearsTopic:Law, Crime and JusticePhoto shows A digital drawing of Erin Patterson wearing a pink shirtNationals deputy leader 'shattered' she will likely lose Senate seatTopic:ElectionsCould Labor's thumping election win put tax reform back on the agenda?Topic:TaxGrandmother in custody as town reels after deaths of two young boysTopic:CrimeGreens' Adam Bandt in danger as seat of Melbourne remains on knife's edgeTopic:ElectionsJust InSeven West Media to buy Tasmania's Channel 7 and other Southern Cross TV assetsTopic:Media Industry11m ago11 minutes agoTue 6 May 2025 at 4:12amLocals torch WA council's 'silly' blanket ban on fire pitsTopic:Local Government23m ago23 minutes agoTue 6 May 2025 at 4:00amMushroom meal survivor takes the stand in Erin Patterson's trialTopic:Law, Crime and Justice19m ago19 minutes agoTue 6 May 2025 at 4:03am'I could have been a Steve Irwin': Woman barbed by stingray near artery in armTopic:Marine Incidents53m ago53 minutes agoTue 6 May 2025 at 3:30amMore Just InBack to top