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The Guardian - AU
The Guardian - AU
National
Adeshola Ore (earlier)

Erin Patterson trial day 26 – as it happened

Wednesday is day 26 of the triple murder trial of Australian woman Erin Patterson at the Latrobe Valley magistrates court in Morwell. It relates to a lunch after which three guests died from death cap mushroom poisoning. Follow live updates.
Wednesday is day 26 of the triple murder trial of Australian woman Erin Patterson. Composite: AP/Guardian Design

Recap

Here’s a recap of what the jury heard today:

1. Patterson said her estranged husband, Simon, accused her of trying to poison his parents using a dehydrator the days after the lethal lunch. Patterson says Simon asked, “Is that how you poisoned my parents … using that dehydrator?”

2. The accused said she believes there is a “possibility” she unintentionally added foraged mushrooms to her beef wellington mix while trying to improve its “bland” flavour.

3. Patterson says she lied to her lunch guests about requiring cancer treatment because she was “embarrassed” to tell them about plans for weight loss surgery. “I was ashamed of the fact that I didn’t have control over my body or what I ate,” she said.

4. Patterson said she ate the remainder of a cake brought by her mother-in-law, Gail, to the fateful lunch. She says after consuming the cake in the evening, she felt “over-full” and “brought it back up again”.

5. Patterson also admitted she lied to Gail about requiring a needle biopsy the month before the lunch. She said when she mentioned a lump in her arm, her in-laws showed a lot of care, which “felt really nice”. “I shouldn’t have done it,” she said.

Updated

Court adjourns

Mandy says the defence does not have long to go.

He says he will finish questioning his client in the morning.

The court has adjourned for the day.

The trial will resume at 10.30am tomorrow.

Updated

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