ON DAY 21 of Erin Patterson’s triple murder trial in Morwell, the jury saw pages from the late Gail Patterson’s personal diary of June and July 2023 in which she recorded an upcoming appointment for her daughter-in-law at St Vincents Hospital in Melbourne.
An entry in the diary noted that Erin had an appointment coming up at St Vincents on Wednesday, June 28, 2023 for an “arm lump” which Gail followed up by sending Erin a text message later that day asking how the appointment went.
“Hi Erin, just wondering how you got on with your appointment, love Gail and Don”.
Erin responded the next day, on Thursday, June 29, excusing her delay in responding after her daughter and herself had attended a screening of The Little Mermaid' but noting that a “needle biopsy” had been taken and needing to return for an MRI the following week.
Gail Patterson also followed up that appointment on July 6, 2023 asking how Erin got on with her medical test.
Erin responded the same day saying that she would have more to say about it later.
However, under questing from prosecutor Jane Warren on Wednesday this week, the police informant in the case, Detective Leading Senior Constable Stephen Eppingstall said there were no Medicare records of an appointment at St Vincents on Wednesday, June 28, 2023.
And direct contact with St Vincents Hospital administration also confirmed that there had been no appointments.
Det LSC Eppingstall also confirmed that police had executed search warrants at the Mt Waverley Medical Centre on September 11, 2023, and also at the Leongatha Health Care Group and Korumburra Medical Centre on September 13, 2023 where they had obtained all records relating to Erin Patterson for the period January 1, 2023 to August 8, 2023.
Det LSC Eppingstall said there were no records of any assessment, diagnosis or treatment for cancer.
During evidence given to the court by Professor Andrew Bersten, an intensive care specialist called by the prosecution on May 14, 2025, Professor Bersten was questioned about a review he had conducted of all available medical records relating to Erin Patterson.
“Is there sufficient evidence in Erin Patterson's medical files to support the assertion that she was diagnosed with cancer in mid-2023?” asked crown prosecutor Dr Nanette Rogers.
“I could not find evidence to affirm that statement,” said Professor Bersten.
There was also an exchange between the two about a self-administered screening test for cervical cancer taken by Erin Patterson in March 2023, requiring no further follow-up for five years.
“And the results were normal?” he was asked.
“They were normal.”
It was on the pretext of asking for advice on how to tell the children about a serious health issue that Erin Patterson invited her husband Simon and four of his family members to lunch on Saturday, July 29, 2023 where a meal of beef Wellington and death cap mushrooms was prepared and served by Erin Patterson.
Simon Patterson ultimately didn’t attend the lunch but his parents Gail and Don Patterson and his aunt and uncle Heather and Ian Wilkinson did attend, subsequently falling ill with serious gastro-like symptoms associated with amanita phalloides mushroom poisoning.
Three of the lunch guests; Don, Gail and Heather died less than a week later from organ failure.
Ian Wilkinson survived after 54 days in hospital.
Speaking about the lunch, while giving his evidence in the trial on May 6, 2025, Ian Wilkinson said the alleged diagnosis for cancer was discussed after the meal.
“After the lunch, Erin announced that she had cancer. She said that she was very concerned because she believed it was very serious, life threatening. She was anxious about telling the kids. She was asking our advice about that,” he told the court.
Mr Wilkinson recalled that Erin had asked the group if she should tell the kids or not tell them about what amounted to a threat to her life
“In that moment,” said Mr Wilkinson, “I thought this is the reason we've been invited to the lunch.”
Erin Patterson was charged with three counts of murder arising out of the lunch and one of attempted murder, where Mr Wilkinson was the intended victim.
The accused has pleaded not guilty to all charges maintaining that what happened on that day was a tragedy and a terrible accident.
The trial continues in the Supreme Court in Morwell this week with the prosecution close to wrapping up its case against Erin Patterson.
