Erin Patterson's husband Simon Patterson gives evidence in mushroom murder trialBy court reporter Kristian Silva and Tim CallananTopic:Law, Crime and Justice19m ago19 minutes agoThu 1 May 2025 at 2:05amErin Patterson is accused of fatally poisoning three people at a lunch in 2023. (AAP Image: James Ross )abc.net.au/news/erin-patterson-trial-thursday-witnesses-morwell/105237404Link copiedShareShare articleErin Patterson's estranged husband has told the jury in her murder trial that the pair's relationship was "strained" and a source of tension.Simon Patterson was the first witness called by the prosecution to give evidence in the case against Ms Patterson, who is facing three murder charges in the Supreme Court, sitting in Morwell.Follow all the updates in the Erin Patterson murder trial in our live blog.She is accused of preparing a meal laced with poisonous mushrooms which she served to relatives at a lunch in July 2023.Mr Patterson told the court they had met when they both worked at Monash City Council in Melbourne in the early 2000s and were married in 2007.The pair separated in 2015 but remained on good terms for a number of years, the court heard."Erin's very intelligent," Mr Patterson told the court."She's quite witty and can be quite funny."Mr Patterson said that the pair's relationship later became "strained" and "there was tension in it".Erin Patterson's estranged husband Simon Patterson arrvives at court on Thursday morning. (AAP: James Ross)He said in late 2022, Erin Patterson was upset that he had listed himself as "separated" on his tax return for the first time and the impact that may have on their tax arrangements.Mr Patterson said his wife said she may have to seek child support from him as a result of the change.He said the "chatty" nature of their correspondence changed from that point on and became "functional" and there were times Erin Patterson did not respond to messages.Crown Prosecutor Nanette Rogers is leading the case against Erin Patterson. (AAP: James Ross)Ms Patterson is on trial facing three murder charges and an attempted murder charge relating to a deadly beef Wellington meal she prepared and served relatives in July 2023.Don and Gail Patterson, the parents of Ms Patterson's estranged husband Simon, fell ill and never recovered after attending the gathering at a home in Leongatha, about 135 kilometres from Melbourne.Gail Patterson's sister Heather Wilkinson also died, although her husband Ian Wilkinson recovered after a long stint in hospital.During his opening address on Wednesday, defence barrister Colin Mandy SC said it was not disputed that the lunch guests fell sick and three died as a result of eating death cap mushrooms contained in the meal — which Ms Patterson had foraged and used in the dish.But he said Ms Patterson "did not deliberately serve poisoned food to her guests", and the poisoning was a "terrible accident"."The defence case is what happened was a tragedy and a terrible accident," Mr Mandy told the jury."She's innocent."Posted 19m ago19 minutes agoThu 1 May 2025 at 2:05amShare optionsCopy linkFacebookX (formerly Twitter)Top StoriesDutton hints at Coalition campaign failure as polls show Albanese majority in sightTopic:Government and PoliticsPhoto shows Peter Dutton election shadowsThe strange 'ballot-fellows' revealed on parties' how-to-vote cardsTopic:ElectionsPhoto shows green how to vote cards in the background with a text box that says enter your suburbSurprise could lurk for Labor if enough voters vent anger over cost of livingDAnalysis by David SpeersPhoto shows Anthony Albanese NPC for Speers ColumnJacinta Nampijinpa Price contradicts Peter Dutton, asserting Coalition will end school 'indoctrination'Topic:Public SchoolsPhoto shows Jacinta Price speaks while Dutton stands behind her listening. 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